Blood Bond
by The Minsk
Summary: A/U. It's never been safe to roam the streets of Lima, Ohio at night. . .
1. Part 1

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy! :)

A/N: Welcome to my new story, which I am starting before my last story is even finished due to time constraints. This is a Halloween inspired A/U Finchel fic, so buckle your seat-belts because it's going to be a crazy ride!

**Blood Bond**

**Part One**

**Lima, Ohio 1910**

All she'd ever wanted to do was sing.

That was simple enough, right? Living in a small town wasn't easy, but when you had dreams like Rachel Berry did, it was easy enough to get by when your head was constantly in the clouds. All she had to do was bide her time and wait another year until she was old enough to run away. New York City was her ultimate goal, and she would get there no matter what it took. She'd promised herself at a very young age that she wouldn't get stuck in this backwoods town, and she'd meant it with all her heart. It was her _dream_. She was going to be a singer on the stage! She had already created her own act in her head: part Vaudeville, part burlesque; the men in the city were going to _love_ it.

All she had to do was wait another year. Her father had died a few years ago from fever, and left her the Berry family mansion until she was old enough to figure out what she wanted to do with it. It was her home until she was 18, and her plan was to sell it to the highest bidder, take the money and escape to New York. It was the perfect plan. The wheels were already set in motion, as she had started advertising the property in the town paper. Any day now someone would be coming along to buy the property from her and she would be free.

She walked into town for her daily chores, removing her bonnet and humming a small tune while she walked the dirt path into the center of town. The townspeople all greeted the lovely Miss Berry warmly while she laughed inwardly at the people who inhabited this town. They were all from the same families who had founded this little hole in the road, and she knew that the same people would probably be living here for generations to come. Lima wasn't an easy town to escape from, but she would do it. She was better than this poor prairie village. She had ambitions and goals.

A lighter tune fell from her lips as she passed by Hummels' horses, and she paused to admire a gray mare that munched lazily on some oats. She loved horses. They were such graceful beasts. She lifted up some oats from the barrel and the beautiful creature munched happily from her hand, licking it and making her laugh. A husky chuckle drew her attention away from the horse and to a tall, strapping man she knew well.

"Good Morning, Miss Berry." He took off his hat and bowed deeply to her, lifting his head and flashing her a stunning smile. She curtsied and returned the smile in earnest.

"Good Morning. Mr. Hudson." Finnegan T. Hudson wasn't from the richest family in town, but he was well known for his athleticism and helpful personality. His family had been one of the first to inhabit the town, and he was considered to be the most eligible bachelor in Lima. They had gone to primary school together, and knew each other well. She had to stifle a blush as she took in his appearance. He was covered in sweat from working outside, and his sleeves were pushed up so she could see his biceps in the shining sun. She should have brought her fan into town with her, she suddenly felt very hot.

"What brings you into town on this fine afternoon?"

"I was just heading into the tailor to see if my dress was finished for the town fair. I've been invited to sing as the entertainment." She turned on her feminine charm and batted her eyelashes softly. "But I find myself without an escort to the event; ever since Father passed it's been difficult to attend the social functions around town." He stood up to his fullest height as enthusiasm shined in his eyes.

"I would be my pleasure to escort you to the fair, Miss Rachel. A woman as beautiful as you shouldn't be alone at night. Especially since all those people started disappearing." A solemn look passed across her features as she remembered the reports of missing people throughout the area. So far ten people, mostly women, had been reported missing. Just the other night they had found one of the girls in the woods, brutally murdered. It was the most gruesome crime ever reported in Lima history, and people were starting to get nervous.

"Well, I know I will be safe with you, Finn. I am looking forward to Friday night." He beamed at her and she complimented herself on her power over men. She had a lot to do before Friday, so she begrudgingly started to walk away. "Have a nice day!"

"You too, Miss Rachel." She started to sing a song out loud to herself while the other townsfolk looked on amused.

Friday was going to be a night she would never forget.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

She looked at herself in the mirror for the umpteenth time that evening, making sure that every ribbon and every bow was perfectly in place. The sun was beginning to set and she started to grow impatient. Finn was already late, so she decided to walk into town and meet him there. It wasn't far, and she had to get ready to perform that night.

She left the mansion and headed to town on foot while the last tendrils of light darkened in the sky. She cursed her own stupidity for not waiting for Finn at home as the darkness deepened around her. The noises of the night were beginning to frighten her, and she decided to sing a song to herself so she could calm down.

All of a sudden, she saw a figure standing in the middle of the road, completely still. For a second she thought it might be Finn, but she realized that this person was not as tall as Finn, and his hair was way too light. As she approached him, she tried to walk around the man who was clearly standing in her way, but he stepped to the side and stood directly in her path.

"I'm sorry, if you'll excuse me sir, I have to get into town." He didn't move an inch. She was more than a bit frightened now; the memories of those missing girls returned and she realized that she should have never left the house.

"You have an amazing voice." The sultry timbre of the strangers' voice wrapped around her and left her with a strange sense of calm. He looked into her eyes and she felt dazed, and oddly detached from the moment.

"Thank you, sir."

"My name is Jesse, what's yours?" She ignored his forwardness and answered without question.

"Rachel." He smiled at her which made her smile in return. This man didn't seem so intimidating now.

"Rachel, you have the voice of an angel." He started to walk around her in circles and she stood as still as a statue. "I've never heard anything like it."

"Thank you, sir. I'm going to be a star one day." She said in a daze while the man's smile only widened.

"A star, huh? You wish to be immortal? Preserved forever by your voice and your talent?" The only movement she could make was a swift nod as he captured her eyes once again. Grabbing her by the shoulders, she felt light-headed and dizzy. "I can make you a star if you wish. You and your voice will live on forever. Is that what you want?"

"Yes, that's all I've ever wanted." He walked around her once more and when she looked up at his face again, the boyish features had hardened into something sinister. His eyes were black as the night, and when he opened his mouth, she was shocked to see two glistening fangs where his canines would be.

He lunged at her, grabbing her by the throat.

She screamed, but no one came to her rescue.

After that, everything went black.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

**Lima, Ohio 2010**

"Yo, Finn! Go deep!" He pumped his legs as hard as he could as he tried to catch the ball by the forty yard line. Unfortunately, catching the ball wasn't his strong point as it bounced off his hand and slipped out of his fingers, landing on the turf with a soft thud. It was a good thing this was only a practice as Coach Beiste started to scream at him from the sidelines.

"Jesus, Lurch, you could try and use those long arms for some good instead of flailing around like a rooster without wings!" He looked up at the coach and nodded as he ran back to the huddle to do the play again. He glared openly at the new Quarterback, Sam, and snarled quietly to himself. If only he had his old position back he would be in much better shape than he was now. But when the new kid had come along and out-performed him at tryouts, he had been demoted to running back.

He hated it. He wanted the new guy to go back where he came from and leave his team alone.

Unfortunately for Finn, the other guys thought Sam was cool, and they found themselves at the local coffee house in town later that evening to hang out. Friday's were open mic night, and there were pool and foosball tables spread around the space, so Finn was surprised to see it relatively empty.

Then again, he was even more surprised to hear that the guys wanted to go out at all. Lima wasn't like other towns in the area, it had it's secrets. People went missing after dark all the time and were never heard from again. Sometimes they found a body in the woods, other times the person disappeared without a trace. In the summer it hadn't been a problem because the sun set so late. Now that it was the fall, people were more wary to leave their house at night.

He didn't fully understand it, but he knew what people said about this town behind closed doors. He'd lived here all his life, so the stories had been repeated by his grandparents over and over again until they'd been memorized verbatim. While his mother told him not to believe a word, he couldn't deny that people had their_ own_ opinions about Lima.

They thought it was _evil_; that evil things lived here. According to the stories, monsters and demons roamed the streets at night and killed the innocent people of the town. Stories had been passed down for generations in order to keep people safe, but in this computer-savvy age they were all but ignored by his age-group. People made up their own excuses for not wanting to go out at night, but the implication was there.

It was not safe to be out on the streets at night in Lima, Ohio.

So he wondered what he was even doing at the cafe after hours while the guys played round after round of foosball. He nursed his cup of coffee and droned out the songs that were being performed on stage. After a girl in dark makeup started reciting slam poetry about crows, he wanted to run for the hills.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna get going. I'll see you at practice tomorrow." He said goodbye to his friends, minus Sam, and started to walk towards the exits when a flash of fabric caught his attention. He stopped dead in his tracks in front of the makeshift stage when he took in the appearance of the girl in front of him.

She had dark brunette hair that framed her pale, pale skin and rested in waves along her shoulders and back. It was strange how pale her skin truly was; in the lights on the stage it seemed almost translucent and her deep brown eyes created a stunning contrast. She looked like she had stepped out of a turn of the century novel with the way her hair had fanned out on her lacy, bodiced dress, and he knew for a fact that Halloween wasn't for another few weeks. He was sure he had never seen her around town before, but she looked no older than 18 as she licked her lips and started to sing into the microphone.

The sound that fell from her lips was positively haunting. He stood in front of her, transfixed, while she continued to sing a song he had never heard before. It was jazzy, sultry, and sad. Finn couldn't move even if he'd wanted to. Looking at her sing was like watching an old movie, the kind his grandmother used to watch when he was a kid. When she finished her song, she smiled softly at the applause she received and stepped off the stage, heading out of the cafe without a word to anybody. Before he knew what was happening, he followed her into the night like a man possessed. He had to know more about this girl! Did she live in town? What was her name?

"Hey! Um," What was he gonna say? Girl? Chick? He looked at her dress and felt very old-fashioned. "Miss?" Calling out to her on the empty street she startled, turning around slowly. She looked almost surprised that he was talking to her.

"Yes?" He walked up to her and could barely make out her features in the night. Now that she was standing in front of him he had no idea what to say.

"Um, I, really liked that song you sang. I've never heard anyone who can sing like you can. It was amazing."

She smiled a bit sadly and turned around to leave. "Oh, thank you. It's nice to meet a fan."

"Hey, wait!" She turned around with a bit of annoyance in her features.

"Yes?"

"What's your name?" She crossed her arms and turned away from him, muttering things under her breath. He caught the words "this era" and "no manners" but that was pretty much it. He jogged in front of her to stop her from leaving again and she dropped her hands in frustration.

"If you don't mind sir, I have absolutely no inclination to converse with you this evening. Will you let me pass before I become terse?"

He shook his head wildly. "I have no idea what you just said, and I'm sorry if I offended you," He stuck out his hand, hoping she would take it. "My name is Finn Hudson, are you new in town? I've lived here all my life and I've never seen you around before. I thought I knew everyone in this town."

She eyed his hand warily, like it might slap her or something, and she took a few minutes to stare directly at his face which he found a little bit weird. After a few awkward minutes, she eventually stuck out a small hand and shook his. Her skin was quite cool to the touch, but then again, they were standing outside on a chilly October night. "My name is Rachel Berry. Is your name really Finn Hudson?"

"Um, yeah. Apparently Finn is an old family name or something."

"You don't say?" She looked amused, like she was privy on a joke that he wasn't.

"Yeah, but, do you go to McKinley? Why haven't I seen you around before?"

"No. I guess you could say I was home-schooled. I don't get out that often. In fact, I really should get going. It was nice to meet you, Finn." She started to walk away but turned around at the last second. "You should really get home. It's not safe to be outside." He scoffed at her, taking in her tiny and fragile appearance.

"Well, what about you?" She smiled at him softly.

"I'll manage fine by myself. Good night." His eyes never left her frame as she headed south on Main street and out of his view. He turned on his heel to walk home down the dark and deserted streets. He didn't get very far before he noticed a bunch of guys hanging out by the side of the road. They crossed the street and Finn could tell they were looking to start trouble. It's a good thing Finn was a big guy, he was pretty sure he could take these scrawny-looking kids. They seemed pretty young, like in middle-school or something.

"Oh, big guy looks tough. You think he'll be enough for the three of us?" One of the little punks snickered while the others high-fived.

"We might even have some left-overs."

Finn laughed and tried to push through the brats but they put up a united front. "Shouldn't you kids be in bed? It's way past your bedtime."

"Sorry dude, we only sleep when the sun comes up." All of a sudden they attacked him, jumping on his back and reaching for his neck while they pulled at him with more strength than he thought was possible. He pushed one of them off of him and when he looked at the guy's face, he let out a short scream. Eyes that were wide and black, sharp fangs that hung over his lips. . .

These dudes were _vampires_!

He started to run then, throwing the other guys off of him while he bolted straight for his house. This couldn't be possible! Lima, Ohio was swarming with vampires and he'd seen it with his own eyes! Never had he run so fast before in all his life but it still wasn't enough to outrun their demonic speed. All three vampire adolescents tackled him from behind, and as he felt their fangs sink into his skin he knew that this was it. He was going to get gobbled up by vampires and die, right here, in the alley by the library.

After that, everything went black.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

All she'd ever wanted to do was sing.

Was that so much to ask?

It wasn't easy being a reclusive vampire in the 21st century. Everything was so weird and foreign and _shiny;_ it scared her. She didn't care if she had been alive for over a century and was a blood-sucking demon, those big trucks and loud televisions frightened her. She just didn't understand technology.

And she never would. The Berry mansion was now dilapidated beyond her means of repair and she never left the house and the security it provided her. No one ever dared approach the _haunted Berry mansion_, and while it was haunted by a vampire and not a ghost, it didn't really matter. People stayed away and that's exactly how she liked it.

She shouldn't be around people anyway, being a monster and everything.

It was the rare occasion when she left the house at all. Once a week she broke into the blood bank and stole what she needed to survive so she wouldn't be tempted to hurt anybody. It was only when she was feeling truly melancholy when she went out to sing. It was the only release she had left in her immortal existence, and she needed to find ways to express herself. She didn't care if she had an audience or not, she just wanted to sing.

Tonight she seemed to have an audience in one Finn Hudson, descendant of her once almost-beau Finnegan. She could see the family resemblance; tall, athletic, not too bright. His face had a more boyish look to it though; the people of her age had to grow up much quicker back then and this young Finn Hudson looked like he was barely seventeen. She laughed to herself bitterly. She could have been his great-grandmother.

However, it didn't negate the fact that he had enjoyed her singing, and it reminded her of the happy days of her youth. If only the Finn from the golden days had heard her sing like that. What she would have given to walk under the stars with Finnegan Hudson! To attend social functions with him and go on chaperoned dates. She might have even asked him to follow her to New York, where he could have taken care of her while she sang in shows. However, it was frivolous to think of such things over a hundred years after the fact. She was never going to have plans or dreams ever again. It felt like she was trapped in a perpetual midnight, frozen in time. She still wore the same styles of clothes from her age, going so far as to buying her own fabric and making the dresses herself. She didn't like the new styles in fashion; too much skin was exposed and she would never dress so scandalously. She was just too old-fashioned and she had no reason to change.

While she was lost in her own head, a man's shout filled the night and Rachel snapped out of her thoughts long enough to recognize the voice. It was Finn! His voice held the same rich timbre as his great-grandfather. A second later, a smell filled the air that set every nerve in her body on high alert.

Blood.

She ran back towards the cafe like a blur in the night, running as fast as her vampire powers could carry her. She followed the smell of blood in the air and it led her to the alley behind the library. Gasping out loud at what she saw, she ran forward and pulled the juvenile vampires off of the body on the ground, throwing them into the wall to disorient them.

She scoffed at the vampires who had dared attack Finn. These boys were practically baby-vampires, and their strength could not compare to her own, being over a hundred years old. She could take all three of them on at once and win, without a problem. She snarled at them for effort, extending her fangs and hissing at them so they would leave. When she was sure that they were gone, she bent over the body and was shocked at the blood loss she was seeing. Poor Finn. She pinched her nose so she wouldn't be distracted by the enticing smell while she took a second to think. She had to turn away from the sight of blood before the temptation grew too strong. This was no time to think about her appetite, someone's life was on the line!

Ripping off some fabric on the bottom of her dress, she wrapped it around his neck to stop the flow of blood while she figured out what to do. He looked up at her with eyes that were glazed over in fear while he gasped for air. She held his face in her hand and she knew that she couldn't just let him die. So she did the only thing she could think of, and brought her free wrist to her mouth. Sinking her fangs into her own skin, she created a huge gash, watching as her own blood dripped down her arm. Vampire blood would help him, but if he died with it in his system he would become a vampire like her. It was her duty to make sure that didn't happen. No one should be cursed with her fate. She lowered her wrist to his mouth and he started to struggle.

"Finn, please, drink this. You're not going to die. I promise." While he drank her blood, she reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his cell phone. She looked at the strange apparatus and hoped she could figure out how to use it. She had seen people call 911 in the movies, so she hoped it was still the same number. She pressed the numbers on the phone and hit the green button. Green meant go, right?

"911 Emergency." Success!

"I need assistance behind the library! My friend was attacked and he's lost a lot of blood!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Heavy. Ugh, his eyelids felt so damn heavy. Every part of his body weighed a ton and it even felt like his chest was heavy as he tried to breathe. Finally, he summoned up the monumental strength to open up his eyes and after blinking back the sunlight that shone into the room, he realized that he was in a hospital.

What was he doing in a hospital?

"Finn!" He looked up into the frightened eyes of his mother as he struggled to remember what had happened. He remembered meeting that girl, Rachel, and walking home. . .

Those kids. . .

Those _vampire_ kids. . .

He lifted up a hand to his neck and was shocked to find it wrapped with thick gauze. His arms were also bandaged up as the events from the night before returned in a flash of recognition. What had happened after he'd been attacked? Why wasn't he vampire food?

"Mom, what happened?"

"Oh honey, you were attacked by an animal and your friend called 911. She saved your life. You needed a blood transfusion." He let his mother's comment about an animal attack slide. He was not about to start spreading rumors that Lima was infested with vampires, but it seemed to be the truth. It kind of made sense though.

"Friend? Which friend?"

His mother wiped the hair away from his forehead. "Your sweet friend, the girl in the long lacy dress." Rachel? He strained his memory for the answers to his questions. That didn't make sense, she had left him on main street way before he was attacked. If she was there, why hadn't she been attacked by vampires as well? A hazy memory, of her leaning over him while he thought he was dying flashed though his mind. She had promised him he wasn't going to die; had she come back to help him? Hadn't she given him something to drink. . . ?

"What happened to her? Where is she?" All he wanted to do was see her; it was a persistent and nagging idea that wouldn't go away.

"Honey, she left hours ago, before the sun rose. You've been asleep all day. Please, lie down and get some more rest." He struggled against the IV's in his arms, and a nurse came in to check his wounds.

"Please, Mr. Hudson, relax. I have to check your vitals and your dressings." Finn sat still while his mother watched on as the nurse removed the bandage on his arm first. When she removed the gauze it was bloody, but there was no wound or scar on his skin.

The nurse looked at him like he had four heads when the deep gash in his neck was miraculously healed as well. His mother looked like she was going to faint. He was more freaked out than ever. "Can I go home now?" The nurse left the room to talk to a doctor as Finn's mother shook her head in disbelief.

"How is this possible? I don't understand."

"Mom, did my friend say anything about where she was staying? At all?" Shaking her head, she sat next to Finn's bed and waited for the doctor to come back.

"No honey, she didn't. What was her name anyway?"

"Rachel Berry." His mother's eyebrows raised in shock as she laughed softly.

"Really? Now that's a name I haven't heard in ages." He shot up straight in bed, intrigued.

"You know her?" Carole took one look at her son and scoffed.

"No, baby of course not, she's been dead for a hundred years!" Finn just sat in his hospital bed in a stupor while his mother continued. "When I was dating your father as a teenager, we would go visit his grandpa Finn in the nursing home on Saturdays. We named you after him, honey. He would tell us the best stories about Lima back in the old days and one of them was about this young girl that he could have married, Rachel Berry. According to your great-grandfather, she had the voice of an angel and she owned the infamous haunted Berry mansion all by herself." The voice of an angel? Shivers started to spasm down his spine.

"Well, what happened to her? Why didn't he marry her?" She shook her head sadly as Finn's brain began to swim.

"She disappeared. He was supposed to be her escort for the town fair and he'd been late. When he went over to her house to finally pick her up she was gone, and there was a trail of blood leading into the woods. She was never seen again." Before Finn could process his mother's story the doctor reappeared, looking flustered and confused.

"Well, son, your vitals are perfect and your cuts have healed, well, beautifully. You're free to go." The nurse helped him remove his IV's and he went into the bathroom to change. His mother was incredulous, yet grateful that her son had healed so quickly. When they got to the car, he made it clear that he wanted to get dropped off in town. The desire to see Rachel was building more and more intense and it became the only thing on his mind after his mom left him by the movie theater.

He needed to find Rachel, and he knew exactly where to look.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I like to think of this fic as two parts _Vampire Diaries_ for the mythology, one part _True Blood_ for the gore, and a splash of _Twilight's_ cheesy love-story. It will not be a long fic, only four or five parts. It will be completed before Halloween, because that was my inspiration for this story. I love Halloween, and vampires particularly, so this will be fun for me. I hope you enjoy it.

Until Next Time. . ._sings_ Don't Stop. . .Reviewing!


	2. Part 2

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy! :)

**Blood Bond**

**Part 2**

She was stupid. She was so, _so_ stupid! She should have never gone with Finn to the hospital, she should have just run away as fast as vampirically possible and hid under the house until the turn of the next century.

Ever since she had given him her blood, all she wanted to do was see him again. To make sure that he was alright and safe. Had her blood worked? Was he healed? She had never done that before to a human, so maybe she didn't do it correctly? Damn sunlight, she needed to see him again! It was an urge that wouldn't go away, and she suddenly remembered the reason _why_ she had never given a human her blood before.

The _bond_.

It happens when a vampire gives their blood to a human. A part of the vampire stays in the human and a connection is formed. She wasn't too sure about the logistics of that connection, but she was pretty sure the bond was getting stronger with time. Thankfully, she had the power to release him from said bond, which was exactly what she was planning to do. After she found out that he was okay, of course.

She sat in the parlor room of the mansion, the thick black curtains keeping all of the sunlight out of the spacious area. This room was where she used to entertain guests and host social events. Now is was collecting dust faster than she could clean it. She should be in bed, but her mind was racing with thoughts of Finn and his well-being. She couldn't sleep without knowing if he was going to be okay.

A noise startled her out of her reverie, and her hackles rose as she sensed someone approaching the house. She rarely had visitors here; mostly just real estate agents who wanted to sell the property and kids who were brave enough to see if the house was really haunted. Normally, she would just glamor them and make them forget the reasons why they came to the house in the first place; that got rid of them quickly. When she was bored, she planned out elaborate tricks to scare them into never coming back. Today she wasn't in the mood for either, she just wanted to know that Finn was okay so she could be left alone.

She hid in the hallway as the stranger approached the door. They didn't even knock before entering, which was very rude in Rachel's opinion. But when the stranger called out her name into the foyer, she could recognize the voice from the parlor.

"Rachel? Hello? Is anyone here?" Finn? How did he find her? And how was he out of the hospital so soon? Her blood had worked! "It's me, Finn Hudson. You saved my life yesterday, and I wanted to say thank you." This was her chance to fix this and make things go back to normal. She couldn't have people knowing about her and thinking she was some kind of vampire heroine or something. She needed to march into that foyer and glamor him into forgetting that he had ever met her. It was for the best.

However, her legs refused to move. Part of her liked the fact that someone had come calling for her, even if she was a dangerous blood-sucking monster. Was it so wrong to have a friend? She had been so lonely for so long. . .

"Finn?" She called out softly into the hall and she poked her head out so she could see him. When their eyes locked he marched forward until he joined her in the parlor. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It's like my feet carried me here. I had a hunch and I was right." He beamed at Rachel and she felt a flutter in her chest that she hadn't experienced in a century. "I just, _really_ needed to see you. I can't explain it." He stared at her fondly and she couldn't help but blush. He was quite the charmer, just like his great-grandfather. "You saved my life," he said, breathless.

"I couldn't just let you die there," she said, shrugging her shoulders and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"But why?" He stared into her eyes and she felt like he was the one glamoring her.

"You remind me of someone I knew, once. A long time ago." Staring into his face in better light, she couldn't help but notice how similar he looked to his ancestor. It was too easy to fall back into old memories.

"I have so many questions for you. I don't even know where to start." This was not good. She shouldn't even be speaking to him right now. She should just make him forget about meeting her and force him to leave.

"Finn, maybe it's best that those questions stayed unanswered." He looked at her in confusion. "It's not safe for you to know these things."

"Rachel, I remember getting my throat practically ripped out last night and this afternoon I don't have a scratch on me. You did something to me, and now I feel like I can run a marathon. I need to know." She ducked her head away from his hypnotizing eyes and he began to plead with her. "Come on, we can go to the park and talk. Girls like parks and stuff." She crossed her arms in front of her and scoffed.

"I can't leave the house until dark. Are you gonna ask me out for ice cream next? I'm _lactose intolerant_." Her voice was laced with sarcasm and he got a knowing look on his face.

"It's really true, isn't it? You're a _vampire_." He stood in her parlor room in awe while she nodded to herself softly.

"Yes," she sighed, "So why are you still here?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he started to move closer and closer to Rachel while she tried to back up and put some space in-between them. "You could have killed me last night. There was blood pouring out of me like crazy and instead of munching on me like a midnight snack you saved my life and brought me to a hospital. I don't get it."

She frowned to herself, deeply. "I never asked to be like this. I don't want to hurt people. All I ever wanted to do was _sing_!" She stomped her foot on the floor in frustration of her own fate. "It's not my fault I'm like this, and I would rather do some good than participate in the shenanigans that go on around this town. This place is my home, and it was once peaceful and idyllic; the picture of prairie life. Now it's a hotbed for vampirism and I don't like knowing that people are suffering because of it. It's not fair." She looked up at him to see his reaction to her rant and was shocked to find a huge grin on his face.

"That's _awesome,_" he said, staring at her with wonder in his eyes, "You're, just, so _cool_." She turned around, embarrassed from his praise and thrilled that he was still here, even after finding out that she was a vampire. No one had ever said she was awesome or cool before, even when she was human.

"So you have to promise me that you're not going to tell anyone about me, Finn. OK? This has to stay our secret."

"No problem, Rachel. No one would believe me anyway." He checked his watch and she was afraid that he had to leave. "The sun will set soon. Do you want to sit down and talk?"

"Huh?" She hadn't had a guest sit in her house in over a century.

"I want to know more about you. I don't know, I really don't want to be away from you right now. Is that weird?"

"Well, I did give you my blood," she paused, trying to explain it in more detail. "We have a bond now, we've formed a special connection. There's more, but it's difficult to explain."

"Please try," he said, begging her with his eyes.

Sighing deeply, she had never truly understood the blood bond and the connection that was formed between human and vampire. She had never done it before, and only knew of it's existence because she'd witnessed it a few times in the past. Mostly it was done when the vampire was fond of a certain human and wanted to make them into a kind of pet. She didn't want Finn to be a pet of hers, she just wanted him to not die. "I'll know if you're in trouble and vice versa. I can also use our connection to call on you if I needed you," he looked intrigued and she sighed. "I don't know, I've never done it before to anyone and maybe it would be better if I just released you from it."

A frown marred his handsome face. "But what if I don't want you to release me?" He fidgeted before elaborating. "You saved my life, Rachel. I like you, and that's not just the bond talking. I want us to spend more time together and get to know one another more."

She stood very still as his words set off warning bells in her head. As happy as his words made her, and she was _quite ecstatic_, she knew deep down that it was wrong. The fluttering feeling in her chest continued to grow stronger and she started to fight against these feelings. She he should not be getting so attached to this boy. It was bad enough that the bond was getting stronger with every moment they spent together; she should not reciprocate his feelings. But she couldn't deny that she wanted to see more of Finn Hudson as well. She liked him; more than she'd care to admit. Stepping forward, she remembered why she didn't get very close to people in proximity. The smell of blood still lingered on his skin and her mouth started to water when she thought of the sight of him from the night before; lying vulnerable and helpless, covered in blood. She hadn't fed from a human in decades and she didn't want to start again now. She _definitely_ didn't want to hurt such a sweet boy like Finn Hudson. He was the first person she'd had a decent conversation with in eons.

"Finn, I don't think this is a good idea. We can't just be _friends_. It's not safe for you to be near me. I could hurt you if I wanted to."

"But you're not going to. I know it, you would have hurt me already." Frustrated by his stubbornness, she extended her fangs and watched as his pupils dilated in fear. That was the reaction she'd been waiting for. She used her strength to push him against the wall and climbed up onto his chest so their faces were at the same level.

"I could hurt you right now." She leaned down until she reached his throat, her lips hovering ever so slightly above his skin. She could feel his pulse racing under his skin and hear the pounding of his heart like it was hammering right next to her ear. It made her feel powerful and, unfortunately, _thirsty_. "Is that what you want?"

Standing there motionless, she made eye contact with him as he tried to steady his breathing. She knew her eyes were coal black at the moment and had to commend him for his bravery. Either that, or he was the dumbest kid alive.

"I-I know you won't hurt me. You don't want to. I can see it in your eyes, even though they're black right now and kind of creepy. You're too nice." Realizing what she was doing, she climbed off of him and covered her mouth with her hands until her fangs retracted. Sometimes her vampire instincts overwhelmed her reserved nature. His soft voice broke the tense silence. "Besides, you look like you could really use a friend. If you want to release me you can, but bond or no bond, wouldn't you just like someone to talk to?"

She had to stifle a gasp when his words shook her to the core. She'd been so alone for so long; was it wrong to want a friend after all this time? Someone who wouldn't judge her, who would come and chat with her when she wanted to talk. Someone who could teach her about technology, and spend time with her so eternity didn't feel so damn _boring_.

"Finn, would you like to sit with me in the parlor and have a chat?" Watching as he relaxed visibly, he reached forward and took her hand in his, kissing the back of it lightly and making her heart swoon in her chest.

"It would be my pleasure."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Um, I would offer you tea, but I don't have running water. Or wood for the stove. Or _tea, _for that matter." She twisted her hands around awkwardly while he coughed from the dust that flew off of the old armchair he was sitting on. "I am a horrible hostess and for that I am truly sorry."

He tried to encourage her with a half-smile, "Oh, no worries! I don't really drink tea anyway."

"Neither do I," she said softly, and he had to temper down the small chill of fear at the implication. There was only one thing she did drink, and that was _blood_. Finn was sitting across from an honest-to-God vampire in her decrepit old mansion, and if she wanted to, she could snap his neck in a nanosecond and drain him dry. He was still a little shaky from when she had pushed him against the wall, baring her fangs at him and staring straight into his soul with her liquid black eyes. It was so strange how they'd been a deep chocolate brown one minute, but black like tar the next. However, even in the dark void, he could clearly see the compassion and resistance that she had demonstrated the night before. She might have been a vampire, but she didn't have an evil bone in her body.

Plus, she was beautiful. And smart. And _really_ lonely.

He tried to think of something to break the awkward silence. "So, how old are you?"

She turned from him with her nose high in the air. "I'm not sure if you're aware, sir, but it is the epitome of rudeness to ask a lady her age."

"Come on, Rachel, I'm not trying to be rude. You're a vampire! I'm just curious." Wincing at him, she turned away and wouldn't make eye contact.

"I was seventeen when I was turned. I have been this way since 1910."

"Wow," he said, breathless, "That's _amazing_." She finally looked at him then, anger flashing in her eyes.

"_Amazing_? It's not amazing, Finn. I'm _dead_, there's nothing amazing about that."

"Why do you think about it that way?" he asked, "You're going to live forever, that's something I would be happy about."

"I never _wanted_ to live forever, living off of people's blood to survive! All I wanted to do was move to New York and find a strapping, handsome young man with enough money to support me while I became a singing sensation. I wanted to have babies that had their father's eyes and grow old with a husband who loved me. I'm never going to have any of that, _ever_," she choked back a sob and Finn could feel the sadness radiating off of her in waves. She was hurting, but this was a kind of pain that Finn had never experienced before. This was a century's worth of anguish and torment that had never had an outlet, and he could tell that her dam of emotions was about to burst at any second. Her voice cracked and all he wanted to do was make her pain go away. "I just wanted to sing."

He shrugged his shoulders, "So sing." Straightening out her posture, she looked at him uncertainly.

"What?"

"If it will make you happy, you should sing, even if it's just around the house. I'll listen to you whenever you want me to." He got up from the chair to sit next to her on the couch. She inched away from him a bit, but he only scooted closer to her. "Sing for me." She looked hesitant, so he tried to encourage her. "Listen, I can tell that you're not happy with how life has treated you. But you are going to live forever. _Forever_. That's a really long time to be sad." Her lower lip trembled and he placed a hand on top of hers for comfort. It was cold, and he thought she might pull away from him but her hand stayed still. "I think you should start trying to live again, and do what makes you happy. If that means you sing from dusk until dawn, then go ahead. I'll be here to listen to you. I'm not going anywhere."

She was silent after that little speech for a long while. It felt like she had closed herself off from him completely as they sat in silence in the dusty old room that smelled like mold. Had she really been living in this huge old house, all alone, for the past hundred years? No wonder why she was so sad all the time!

The thick black drapes that covered the windows served their purpose well, and it wasn't until he checked his watch when he realized what time it was. The room was starting to get darker and Rachel got up to light a small oil lamp that gave the dilapidated mansion an even eerier glow. When she sat back down, her eyes were still glazed over with sadness. If only he didn't have football practice the next morning, he would be able to stay up all night with Rachel and try to get her out of her depression.

A loud blaring noise snapped him out of his thoughts, and Rachel jumped off the couch in fear of the noise. "What is that?" She yelled, and he reached into his pocket to show her that his cell phone had been ringing. She glared at it like it had offended her while he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Finn! Where have you been all day? It's already after dark!" His mother's worried tone filled him with dread, and he'd forgotten that he'd promised her in the car that he wouldn't stay out after dark anymore.

"I'm with my friend, Rachel. I wanted to thank her for bringing me to the hospital."

"Oh, well that's wonderful! You know what you should do? Invite her over for dinner! I would love to meet her!" From the way Rachel's head perked up, he could tell that she heard every word of their conversation.

"Um, Mom, are you sure about that? Rachel has a very specific, um, diet."

"Of course, sweetie! I expect you two here as soon as possible. Make sure you look out for that sweet girl while you're making your way over." He scoffed to himself; she was the one who would have to look after him.

"Okay, Mom, we'll be right there." Hanging up the phone, he turned to talk to Rachel to find that she had disappeared. "Rachel?"

"I wonder which dress would impress your mother more?" She came downstairs in a powder blue dress and matching bonnet that looked like it belonged in a museum. "This one, or my cranberry calico holiday gown?" Soaking in the image of her, she looked like she had been preserved in a time capsule for the past century. Then again, she probably didn't have many excuses to wear her fancy dresses, so he decided to play along.

"I like the blue dress." The hopeful look in her eyes made his heart swell in his chest. When was the last time she had been invited into a home for a social call? Wait, wasn't there some kind of a rule about inviting vampires into houses?

It took her a few more minutes to get ready, and he had to help her with some of the ties to her dress, but when she was finished, she looked like she should have been on the set of _Titanic_ or _Gone With the Wind_ or something. Her smile as they were leaving was brighter and more energetic than anything he'd seen before, and her mood had taken a complete 180. Before she had seemed so lonely it was depressing. Now, she looked so excited she was practically jumping out of her skin.

He held out an arm for her to take, like the men did in old-fashioned movies. He would have to download some classic movies and learn proper manners for her. His house wasn't too far away, but he would never walk these streets at night anymore without his vampire companion. "Are you ready to escort the weak and fragile human home, my lady?"

She looked up at him and her infectious smile bubbled into laughter. It sounded like music in the night and he'd never seen her smile like that before. His heart started to pound and he hoped that she wouldn't be able to tell with her crazy vampire powers.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. It's just that, in my day, it was the men who escorted the women home," she shook her head, "It seems that times have really changed."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Walking along the deserted streets of Lima at night usually made her nervous; she didn't like running into other vampires, and she definitely didn't want to meet any people in town either; but strolling down the streets with Finn was something else entirely. In her best blue gown and bonnet, with Finn Hudson on her arm, she might has well been back at the town fair in 1910. She definitely hadn't felt as happy since then.

Now she was going to go into someone's house! A real house with electricity and running water and technology. Plus, she was being invited in, and not squatting in empty homes to use their shower.

While they made their way through Finn's neighborhood, she let the peaceful calm of the evening wash over her as a light tune fell from her lips. She looked up at Finn, who might just be the tallest man she'd ever met, searching his features for any bit of annoyance and only finding contentment. So instead of humming a tune, she added lyrics and sang to him while they headed towards his home.

Being around Finn Hudson was way too easy.

They approached his modest home and Rachel stood on the front steps almost buzzing with energy. When was the last time she had been invited into someone's house? Well over a hundred years, seeing that her social status had dropped a bit after her father had passed away. When Finn opened the door, he walked inside, leaving Rachel outside without an invitation to enter. When he realized that she wasn't following him, he came back and stared at her in confusion.

"What's the matter, Rachel?"

She smile sheepishly. "You have to invite me in."

"Oh! I forgot, I'm so sorry!" He paused to smile at her. "Would you please come in?"

"I would be delighted." She entered the small family home and couldn't believe how warm it was inside. Even the hottest fire could never get her house this cozy and warm, and she was fascinated by the decor. The furniture didn't have tears in it from age and there was no draft coming in through the windows. People in this era certainly were fortunate to have all these modern amenities.

"Is she here?" A voice snapped her out of her trance and she looked up to see Finn's mother walking up to her with open arms. "Well, look at that beautiful dress, you look like you just stepped off of a movie set!" She took the tiny vampire in her arms and squeezed, shocking Rachel with how close she was pressed to this human. Finn looked on, amused. "My name is Carole Hudson and you're Rachel, right? Well, Rachel, I wanted to give you my deepest thanks for taking care of Finn last night. You are always welcome in this house from now on." When the woman let go of her, it was hard trying to tamper down the sting of tears she felt prickle her eyes. The Hudson family was filled with the nicest, most welcoming people she had ever known.

"Now, you go along with Finn and dinner should be ready in a little while. He told me you have a special diet, though. Do you have any food allergies I should know about?"

"Oh, no, Mrs. Hudson, it's nothing like that. In fact, I ate before I came here. I just wanted to accept your request out of courtesy."

"Ah, well you're still more than welcome here, sweetie. I'll call you when dinner is ready." Carole retreated into the kitchen and Rachel followed Finn throughout the house until they reached a door with a poster of someone named Tom Brady on the front. He opened the door and she walked into his bedroom, marveling at all of his possessions. The wallpaper caught her attention first.

"Oh, horses!" She touched the cowboy wallpaper and remembered what it was like to feed the horses in town and chat with all the farmhands who traveled through Lima to head out west. She sat in a small chair next to the bed, while he sat across from her, looking at her with an unknown emotion in his eyes. "What is it?"

He continued to stare at her. "How do you eat?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you told my mom that you had eaten before you came over, which I know isn't true. You definitely didn't drink my blood last night and you said that you don't want to hurt people. So how do you eat?"

Rubbing the back of her neck, she took off the bonnet and placed it on the dresser, smoothing out her hair and dress. "Once a week I break into the blood bank by the hospital and steal a bag of blood. It's not a lot, but I get by."

"Is that normal?"

"Finn, _nothing_ about me is normal."

"But why? You say you can make people forget things anyway, why not just drink from people and then make them forget it ever happened?"

She squirmed under his interrogation. "I used to, a long time ago. I used to follow around the vampire who made me and mimic him and his actions, trying to learn from him. After a while I got disgusted by it; I wasn't killing anybody but it felt like I was stealing something from them. It didn't seem right anymore. When the blood bank came around, I stopped feeding from people altogether."

"Are you very hungry right now?"

Looking away from him, she was afraid to see his reaction but she wanted to be honest. "Yes."

"Would you feed from me if I gave you permission?" Her head snapped back up incredulously.

"What did you say?"

"I invited you over for dinner and you're hungry. I'm offering you food." He started to peel off his shirt and she began to quietly freak out.

"No, Finn, I can't allow you to do this. Put your shirt back on."

He shook his head, laying down and making himself comfortable. "Nope, I don't want to get blood on that shirt." She stared openly as the muscles in his chest rippled along with his movements. All of a sudden the sound of his heartbeat filled the air, and she stared at the junction of his neck and shoulders as her mouth started to water. A rush of energy flowed through her and she could feel her fangs extend while her vision sharpened. This was too tempting, how could she resist him when he was laying himself out like a buffet for her? While her strong moral code had forbidden her from feeding in the past, Finn was offering himself to her freely. She had his permission.

Climbing on top of him, she couldn't control the head rush she felt from the power that coursed through her veins. She looked down at him and while he looked like he was bracing himself, he didn't look afraid. "Why are you doing this?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he stared into her black eyes. "You gave me your blood and I want to give you mine." She couldn't stop herself even if she wanted to; leaning down closer and closer to that pulsing point on his neck, she first brushed her lips against his cheek, kissing it softly before she brought her mouth down to his throat. He stiffened underneath her as she bit into his skin, breaking it and feeling the hot liquid rush into her mouth.

It was pure ecstasy.

His hands grabbed her arms, and for a second she thought that he might push her away from him in fear or disgust. Instead, they wrapped around her body in a tight embrace, holding her as close to him as possible, which only made her feel more powerful.

She could hear his ragged breathing, and feel the tightness of his muscles underneath her, but he still wasn't pushing her away. A feeling she had never felt before flowed through her as she swallowed mouthfuls of the crimson liquid that gave her strength. This boy, this Finn, had given her so much in so little time it was difficult to wrap her head around it all. She had spent her whole existence hidden away from the world, and in the past 24 hours she'd met someone who understood her and accepted her for what she was without fear.

After a few more mouthfuls, she broke away from him, licking the excess blood from his neck so the puncture marks would close. When she was sure the blood had stopped flowing, she finally pulled back from him long enough to see his reaction. Small beads of sweat were dripping down his brow and his breathing was heavy, but a small smile graced his features as he sat up and slipped his shirt back on.

She crawled off of him and returned to the chair she had been sitting on before. Should she say thank you? Compliment him on the flavor of his blood? The fierce feeling from before had returned and all she could think about was kissing him again. She had given him so much and he still wasn't afraid of her. He deserved a medal, but a kiss would suffice.

"Thank you, Finn." She began to speak, her voice low in the tiny room. "That was. . .I can't. . .I don't know what to say."

"You're welcome, Rachel. If there's a way I can help you, I'm gonna do it. We're bonded now, remember?" He swayed dangerously on the bed for a second and she shot up to steady him. Maybe she'd had too much?

"Are you okay?" She said, worried. Bringing her hand to her mouth, she bit down and held her hand out to him to share her own blood once more. "Drink this, you'll feel better." He tentatively licked the blood from her hand while making a face and she could see the puncture marks on his neck disappear before her very eyes.

"Thanks, Rachel." He sounded grateful, and they could hear Mrs. Hudson calling them in for dinner. Before he could leave the room, she pulled his face down to hers and placed a chaste kiss on his lips, forgoing modesty and giving into her emotions. As he lead her into the kitchen, holding hands, she wished there was a way that she could pay him back for what he'd done for her. It was _so_ much more than just letting her drink his blood. He was letting her into his life.

He was giving her reasons to live again.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Until Next Time. . . sings. . . Don't Stop. . .Reviewing!

Merci Mille Fois


	3. Part 3

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and Fox. This is purely for fun. Enjoy! :)

**Part 3**

"Are you feeling alright, sweetheart? You look a bit pale." Finn looked up from his plate of food while his mother reached over and placed a cool hand on his forehead. Watching Rachel's reaction from the corner of his eyes, he straightened out his posture and gently moved away from his mother's grasp.

"I'm fine, Mom. Just a bit tired." That was an understatement. Finn felt so exhausted he could barely chew his food. Everything that had happened in the past 24 hours was finally catching up with him, and he still felt a bit dizzy from the loss of blood.

He spared a glance at his companion, who was sitting across the table from him and watching the scene unfold before her with amusement. Picking at the food on his plate, he realized that he was only eating tiny bites because of how distracted he felt, and his appetite was waning fast. His mind was still in his bedroom, where only a few minutes ago he'd allowed Rachel to feed from him and drink his blood. At the time it had seemed like a good idea, but to be honest he really had no idea what he'd been thinking; she could have drank too much or killed him and he would have been helpless to stop her.

The craziest thing was that he didn't even regret it for a second. In fact, he would do it again if she'd asked him; it was the most uncomfortable feeling he'd ever experienced but it was strangely exhilarating in a way. He'd never felt closer to anyone in his life. She'd held his life in her hands and yet he was still living and breathing. Smiling shyly at him, she stared while his mother kept trying to check his temperature. When his mother gave up on her attempts, she turned to Rachel to ask the girl if she wanted any food for what seemed like the millionth time that evening.

"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat, dear?" Rachel shook her head softly, smiling at his mother.

"No thank you, Mrs. Hudson. I've had my dinner already." She sneaked a look at Finn and shared a knowing smile. "It was absolutely delicious." He felt his face grow hot as he shoved another piece of food in his mouth to hide his embarrassment. She thought his blood was _delicious_.

For the rest of the evening, he sat quietly at the table, not making a sound while his mother made small conversation with Rachel. It wasn't late by any means, but it felt like he could sleep for days. The exhaustion that had been building up inside was threatening to overwhelm him, and he'd lost way too much blood over the past 24 hours to stay awake much longer. He needed some sleep.

Finally, after dinner had been cleaned up and they'd spent more time talking with his mom, Finn walked Rachel to the door to say goodnight. She fixed her bonnet back on her head as he stood on his front steps with her, watching as the pale moonlight gave her skin a soft glow.

"I had a wonderful evening with you, Finn. Thank you for everything." The serene smile on her face was brighter and happier than he had ever seen and all he wanted to do was kiss her again, the way she had done before in his bedroom. If it wasn't for the fact that he felt like passing out where he stood, he would have asked Rachel to stay longer. Maybe return to his bedroom and kiss her there, on the bed where he'd given her his blood.

"Will I see you again soon?" He said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I have football practice in the afternoon but I can see you for a while afterwards, if that's okay of course."

"I would like that very much." They stood in amicable silence while they waited for the other person to make a move. He reached over to grab one of her hands in his and rubbed the porcelain skin softly. Why was it so hard to say goodbye? He knew he would be seeing her tomorrow but the thought of waiting until then was almost too much to bear.

"Good night, Rachel."

"Good night, Finn." Even though the farewells had been exchanged, neither person moved. It wasn't until Finn leaned in to place a hesitant kiss on her forehead when she reached up to pull his face down to meet her willing lips. While she had kissed him once before in his bedroom, at the time his head had still been swimming from the blood loss. Now, while the air was clean and crisp around them and the October chill bit him through his clothes, the kiss was much more intense than the muddled memory from before.

He didn't want it to end.

However, she eventually pulled away, and waved to him lightly as she made her way across his front yard. When she noticed him still staring after her, she pointed to his house and teased him from the sidewalk. "Get inside, you silly boy. I refuse to come back and save you again." For a minute, he didn't even move. He wanted to keep this moment alive forever and never let it go. The way her dress shone in the moonlight, the crisp breeze that played with her hair. If he went inside, then she would disappear. What if he woke up the next morning and it had all been a dream?

After she teased him one last time he went back into his house, locking his door and retreating to his bedroom where his bed looked way too cozy and inviting to ignore. He climbed into it and fell asleep almost instantly.

He stayed asleep for over fourteen hours.

When he finally did wake up after his coma-like sleep, he had never felt more refreshed and energetic. There wasn't a lot of time to spare before practice, so he quickly showered and got himself ready for football. When he jogged onto the field, he was greeted by the incredulous stares of his other teammates. Coach Bieste looked like she was seeing at a ghost.

"Hudson, what the heck are you doing here?" His team continued to stare at him like he had three heads; was there something on his face?

"What do you mean? We have practice today. I missed it yesterday."

"Dude, we heard you were attacked by an animal or something. Weren't you in the hospital?" With every word that his buddy, Puck spoke, Coach Bieste started to look more and more skeptical. Finn just shrugged his shoulders while he put on his helmet.

"Whatever man, I feel great. Not even a scratch on me." Looking up at the Coach, she didn't look like she believed him, but what was he supposed to say? _I was saved by vampire blood, come on, let's go play football!_

With a firm nod, the intimidating woman clapped her hands. "Alright guys, on the field, let's go." She turned to Finn and placed a hand out in front of him to stop him. "Not you, Sasquatch. You watch on the sides today. I can't risk a player's health no matter how good they feel." Feeling bummed, Finn dejectedly followed the coach over to the sides, where he watched the practice with a huge frown etched into his face. What was the point in coming to practice at all? He could have spent the afternoon with Rachel in her mansion.

A stray football soared over to where Finn was sitting, and when he looked up at who threw it, he could see Sam about halfway down the field, waving his arms to get Finn's attention. Without a second thought, he picked up the ball and threw it over to the quarterback, staring in awe when the ball not only rocketed over Sam's head, but flew out of the football field entirely.

Every eye on that field was watching the ball that refused to slow down as it landed halfway down the road from the school. After the ball was out of sight, the rest of the team started to stare blatantly at Finn, the person who had thrown it so far. How did he do that? No one was strong enough to throw a ball that far, except maybe a vampire. . .

Uh-oh.

He forgot that he still had vampire blood in his system.

"Hudson!" The roar of the Bieste could be heard echoing throughout the entire field as he spotted the large woman heading straight toward him. "What the hell was that?"

"Um, I don't know, ma'am."

"Why weren't you throwing like that last month at tryouts?"

"I guess I wasn't warmed up?" He said it as a question, because as of right now, he was just making stuff up. The woman looked like she wanted to breathe fire out of her nose, she was so livid. For a split second, the anger turned into something else he couldn't decipher, something suspicious, but it quickly bubbled up into anger once more.

"Evans!" Finn watched Sam jog up to them from the corner of his eye and the coach looked at the blond with disdain. "Hudson is back on quarterback, I want you to train with the B team from now on." The new student was dismissed and Finn felt a sting of guilt shoot through him for a moment before it quickly morphed into excitement. Finn was the quarterback again! And it was all thanks to Rachel and her super-powered blood!

"As for you, Hudson. Get on the field and show me that you can throw like that on command. Go!" With that, the practice continued as usual. He could spot Sam giving him dirty looks throughout the rest of the afternoon, but that was to be expected. A bit of guilt stung at him a little for taking back his old position but he was too happy to let it get to him. It wasn't his fault the vampire blood had given him superpowers; call it a perk of the bond.

However, Sam must have been feeling pretty raw about it, because after practice he saw the new kid waiting by the locker room doors for him with a deep frown on his face. When Finn tried to walk past the shorter blond, he was pushed back roughly, which put Finn on edge.

"Hey, what the hell, dude?"

"So what did you do, Hudson?" Shoving him once more, Finn started to feel threatened by this guy, which did not sit well with him. "You spend one night in the hospital and now you're stealing my position? Did they pump you full of steroids or something? Are you juicing?"

"No way, asshole. It was my position first and I had it for a reason. I would never touch that junk." Finn tried to avoid him once more and Sam pushed him so roughly he almost tripped. Finn finally retaliated, grabbing him by the lapel of his shirt and holding him up against the lockers, lifting his body completely off the floor while the vampire blood gave him the strength to do so.

His voice was low and severe. "Listen, _punk_. If you're smart, you'll leave me alone. You don't want to mess with me." He wasn't one to make threats, but Sam was the one who was trying to get physical. A tinge of fear entered Sam's gaze and a loud cough snapped them out of their argument.

"Do we have a problem here, guys?" Coach Bieste was staring at the scene in front of her with an intimidating glare, and Finn immediately placed Sam back on the ground and stepped back from him while he regained his balance.

It was then that he felt it. One minute he was in the middle of the locker room with Sam and the coach, and the next his vision was unfocused and only one singular thought was on his mind.

Rachel.

_Finn. . .Finn. . ._It was like he could hear her voice in his head. . .

Rachel was calling him.

He didn't hesitate for a second before turning around and walking straight out of the locker room with Coach Bieste yelling after him. "Where the hell do you think you're going, Hudson? Hudson! You'll be doing push-ups until your arms fall off for this!" It didn't register to Finn at all that the coach was yelling at him, he was already down the hall and outside of the school before she even finished.

The fierce and intimidating woman looked down at the blond teenager with an eyebrow raised in suspicion after the tall quarterback was gone. "What do you think, Evans?"

"Vampires. It has to be. You saw the way he just acted. He's clearly under someones influence and his strength is _impressive_." Straightening out his shirt, the woman nodded her head firmly while he pouted at his aunt. She was the only family he had left, thanks to those god-forsaken vampires. "Did you have to demote me to the B-team though? Besides killing vampires, football is the only thing I'm really good at, and I thought I could show off a little at this school."

"Just play along for a little bit longer, kiddo. We need to find out who he's been hanging with." He ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. "We picked a good town this time, Sam. Lima, Ohio is crawling with vampires and I can almost feel the evil brewing in the air." Placing her hands on her hips, she couldn't deny that there was an undeniable sense of foreboding on the horizon.

"We just need to find them first."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rachel woke up late the next evening, after spending the whole day in bed dreaming about her new beau Finn. She sounded so old-fashioned; she knew that people called them "boyfriends" nowadays, but she couldn't help but disassociate herself with modern terms like that. But lying in bed with her covers pulled all the way over her head, she allowed herself to smile and think of Finn as her boyfriend. Strolling in the park on a sunny day or swimming together at a lake. Watching him as he played his sports.

Too bad it was all just a dream. At least she could still call him her beau and remember her place in his world. He would grow old and die one day while she stayed the same old-fashioned girl forever. It was almost too much to think about, especially after knowing him for only two days.

So she closed her eyes and tried to forget about the little detail that was his mortality and focus more on the fact that she was becoming way too attached to this human. His blood was deliciious and now that she had a taste, she wanted more. However, along with the blood lust came a lust of a more carnal nature, and she couldn't help but feel more and more attracted to Finn, especially after feeding off of him. His warm hands on her body, his warm blood sliding down her throat. . .

She wanted to see him again. So _badly_.

With her eyes still firmly shut, it was easier to focus on the ever-present bond she felt with Finn, and she started to tap into it, seeing if she could figure out how it worked. After a few tries she gave up, finally opening her eyes and pulling her sheets off of her body. A loud, sharp scream pierced the silence of the room.

Standing at the foot of her bed, was Finn.

"Finn!" It had worked! She pulled the covers around her; she was still in her nightgown after all. "You know, it's not easy to sneak up on a vampire, so I commend you for that." She looked into his eyes and they were glazed and unfocused. He wasn't answering her, which was making her nervous. "Finn? She crawled across the bed, modesty be damned, and rested on her knees so she could reach up and cup his face in her hands. "Finn, it's me. It's Rachel."

It was then when he finally snapped out of the trance he'd been in; his eyes were now focused while his brow furrowed in confusion. "Rachel? Where am I? How did I get here?"

"You're in my bedroom. I must have tapped into our bond and summoned you to me. Are you okay?"

Rubbing his temples lightly, he looked like he needed to sit down. She guided him onto the bed and sat next to him. "Yeah, I guess so." He didn't sound okay. In fact, she didn't know if she was being paranoid or not, but she was pretty sure he sounded upset. After a tense moment where his face was a mask of confusion, he turned to her with a tentative smile on his lips. "I need to thank you for something. I made quarterback again because of your blood."

"Is this 'quarterback' a good thing?"

"Yes, a very good thing. Thank you."

"You're welcome." The silence wasn't as tense anymore, but what had happened to that easy feeling from the night before? Had she been imagining it all?

"Would you walk me home?" Her hopes sunk lower than ever at his request and she thought she might cry. She nodded her head sadly while she went into her closet to find something to change into. When she came back he reached for her hand and held it while she tried to hold back a sniffle and failed. "It's just that, I have a lot of things on my mind and that doesn't happen to me often. But when we get back to my house we can talk and watch a movie." A small smile crept onto her face when she realized he wasn't trying to get rid of her, and they headed towards his home in a bit of an awkward silence. That is, until he slipped his hand in hers and squeezed it while the waxing moon crept up the night sky.

The streets were dark and deserted on that chilly Sunday night, so Rachel had frozen in her tracks when she spotted someone standing in front of them in the distance. For a moment, she didn't even care; there were very few vampires who were older than she was in this town, and she was feeling strong and confident thanks to Finn's blood. It wasn't until the stranger stepped forward into the streetlight when she recognized who it was. When she stopped walking, Finn tried to pull her forward but she refused to move.

"Rachel, what is it?" He took in her frightened demeanor and could tell something was seriously wrong.

"Finn, I need you to get behind me, and don't say a word."

"What's going on?" Looking up at the tall teenager, she pushed him behind her and stood her ground.

"My maker wishes to see me." Sure, it had been almost one-hundred years to the day since she was turned, but that didn't mean she wanted to throw a party. The relationship between her and Jesse was extremely strained, and no good ever came out of their meetings. For a minute, she genuinely feared Finn's safety. When Finn finally stood behind Rachel, the blur in the distance zoomed forward until she was standing in front of the vampire who had killed her so many years ago.

"Good evening, my little songbird." He chanted in a musical tone while he reached over to kiss Rachel's hand. She pulled away and moved closer to Finn, standing in front of him like a shield. "Aw, is that all the love I get? You wound me, Rachel."

"What is it, Jesse? This can't just be a social call."

"What if it is? What if I missed my favorite little century-old songbird and wanted to stop by to say hello?" His most charming smile stretched out across his face and it wasn't until that very moment when he noticed Finn standing behind Rachel. The smile melted into a frown instantly. "Well, well, now who is this? Rachel have you been feeding from the source again? I am so proud of you!" In the blink of an eye, Jesse ran around her, grabbing Finn by the neck and pulling him away from Rachel's protection. She watched helpless as her maker sniffed Finn like a dog while the young teen looked on in horror. When a matching look of disgust graced Jesse's features, he pushed Finn away, and Rachel took this opportunity to step forward and put some space in-between Finn and Jesse. He'd always been the jealous type.

"Rachel, did you bond with this _boy_?" Practically spitting out the word "boy," they started to circle each other while Finn looked on from the sidewalk.

"If it did it wouldn't be any of your business, seeing as you released me eighty years ago."

"Just because I released you, doesn't mean I still don't love my songbird."

"Stop calling me that!" She hated that nickname! "What are you doing back in town anyway? I thought you had settled in Des Moines during the 80's."

"Des Moines was boring. There's so much more to do in Lima. The vampire population is quite large here, don't you think?"

"Yeah, and whose fault is that?"

"Ours, my dear, don't forget to take some of the blame. Or does your little pet over here think you're the Virgin Mary of vampires?" A chill of fear washed through her as Jesse admitted the truth of her past out loud. She'd never wanted Finn to know about the dark times of her life that she was ashamed of. It was such a long time ago. "Is it true, Fido?" Jesse turned from her and was now addressing Finn. "Did she tell you about the fun times we had after she was turned, or did she make you think that she was just a pathetic, lonely old vampire who wanted a friend?" Finn looked conflicted, but stood up to the vampire in front of him.

"Don't talk about Rachel that way." Jesse appraised the young teen, clearly impressed at his bravery.

"Listen kid, I know you feel protective of her and everything, but that's just the bond talking. You're nothing but a glorified puppy to her. A walking, talking _snack_."

"Enough, Jesse!" Screaming into the night, all the attention was focused back on her. "Leave Finn alone and tell me what you're doing back in town." Sparing a glance at her human companion, he refused to look in her eyes and the dread she had felt at her mansion earlier that evening had increased a hundred-fold. He was never going to see her as anything but a vicious monster after this.

"Well, Rachel, you should know I'm not alone. I brought an old friend with me back to Lima who would love to see you." Grinning wildly, she didn't like the sinister smile on his face. "Shelby and I always had the most fun when we were together. If you ask nicely, you can be in on our plan too."

Shelby? That ancient old witch? "I don't want anything to do with you two. Leave us alone."

Jesse put both of his hands up and stared to walk away backwards with a knowing smile on his face. "Your call, Rachel. Since I still care about you, I want to give you and your little pet some advice." His voice dropped an octave and Rachel could tell that he was being serious. "_Stay indoors on Halloween_."

"Jesse, what are you and Shelby planning?" He ignored her and started to walk away.

"Good night, Rachel. Make sure you get your little human home." With that, he ran off into the night, leaving Finn and Rachel in the middle of the street alone. She spared a glance at her companion only to find him lost in contemplation with a huge frown on his face. When he finally did look towards her and made eye contact, he started to walk past her and continue his journey home in silence. Not wanting him to be alone, she followed him a few steps behind, not saying a word.

What should she say? Everything that Jesse had said before about her was true, and now Finn knew that she wasn't as innocent as she'd been previously acting. He was never going to see her as the same girl again, and deep down she knew that she should have seen it coming. There was no place for her in Finn's world, just like there was no place for him in her world of the supernatural.

When they approached his house, she wondered if she should even say goodbye. Would he care? Should she just wait until he made it into his house safely and try to forget about him completely?

She didn't have to make that decision, because before he started to cross the front yard, he turned to her and asked if she wanted to come in. "We have to talk." She couldn't tell if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Alright." She followed him into the house and was surprised to see it dark. "Where's your mother?"

"She works the night shift, she won't be home until the morning." Instead of taking her to the bedroom to talk, they sat in his living room and waited in strained silence. This was it, he was going to tell her he wanted nothing to do with her anymore and she couldn't even argue against it. After a stressful minute of waiting, Finn finally spoke. "So that was the vampire who made you?"

"Yes, Jesse turned me in 1910. He's much older than I am; the oldest vampire I know."

"So you two dated?" Rachel frowned.

"I guess you could say that, but it's more complicated than dating. He was my teacher as well, guiding me through the world of vampires and magic and demons. After a while, I started to hate what we were doing to people and I wanted to stop. He refused to change his lifestyle so he released me and I went solo from then on. I stopped feeding off of people altogether because I felt so terrible for what I'd done in the past." He had to know that she wasn't like Jesse or the other vampires that hunted around town.

"But Jesse was telling the truth, right? You've turned others before?"

She looked away, ashamed. "Yes."

"So this bond thing, was Jesse right about that too? Am I just some kind of a pet to you? An easy meal?"

"No! Finn, _no_. It's not like that at all! I have never thought about you that way. I care about you, I truly do. I'll remove the bond if you want; I'll do it right away." It felt like the room was closing in on her and she felt stifled. She waited for his reaction but he looked lost in thought. After another tense minute, he finally looked up at her with an unknown emotion shining in his eyes.

"This afternoon, when you had called me to you, it felt like I had lost all control of myself. I was like a zombie and it wasn't a feeling I want to get used to. It was scary. But at the same time, I wanted it to happen. I wanted to see you and I gave into that feeling." He took a deep breath. "I know we come from different worlds, but I don't care. I've made my decision, and I don't want you to remove the bond."

"Really?" She could hardly believe it.

"I know you've done some things in the past that you regret, but I know you're not that person anymore. That Jesse guy looks like a real asshole anyway; his comment about Halloween was weird."

"Yeah, it was weird." She looked up at him with a small smile and needed a bit more reassurance before she felt normal again. "So you're not mad at me?"

"Mad at you? Why would I be?"

"I'm not proud of what I did in my past."

"No one is, that's why people make changes, just like you did." Her heart filled with joy when she realized that Finn truly understood her and her sordid history. He refused to hold her past against her in any way, which was a huge weight off her shoulders. She reached over and pulled Finn into a grateful hug, soaking in the feeling of his body around her. Now if only she could figure out what Jesse had been talking about regarding Halloween, she would be golden. He started to pull her down the hall toward his bedroom.

"Come on, I downloaded some movies for us to watch on my computer."

Clapping her hands vibrantly, she followed Finn into his bedroom. "Oh, a real computer! Can you teach me about the inter-webs too?" With a light chuckle, he wrapped an arm around her waist, giving it a small squeeze while he set up the monitor.

"Maybe another night. Let's just get through the movie first." Lying down on the dangerously small bed, he made enough room for her to lie next to him and she hesitated before moving so close to his body. Giving up on modestly completely, she joined him on the bed, reveling in the feeling of his warm skin against hers. He reached over to shut off the light, and before the movie started he placed a light kiss on the top of her head while she snuggled as close to him as the space would allow.

"Thank you, Finn." She whispered as the credits rolled and she could feel the light chuckle reverberating in his chest.

"For what?" Shrugging her shoulders, she couldn't even count all the reasons why she should be thanking him. For trusting her, for not judging her. For _everything_. "Hey, for what, Rachel?" She silenced him with a soft kiss and melted into his embrace.

"Shh, just watch the movie."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Until next time. . ._sings. . ._ Don't Stop. . . Reviewing!

Merci Mille Fois


	4. Part 4

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy! :)

A/N: Sorry about the delay in writing, I've been going through a lot of stuff at home and writing has taken a backseat. I wanted to have this finished before Halloween, but I'm afraid that it's no longer possible, and it won't be finished until early November. I hope you still enjoy!

**Part Four**

October seemed to pass by in a blur for Finn after he'd experienced his crash course in the world of vampires. Meeting Rachel had been surreal in it's own way; meeting her vampire ex-boyfriend and learning the truth about her past was something else entirely. After meeting Jesse, he didn't know how he would even compare in Rachel's eyes. He was infinitely stronger than Finn would ever be, and he shared a relationship with Rachel that was unfathomable to Finn. He was the one who had turned her; who had _killed_ her all those years ago. The simple fact was that Jesse and Rachel were immortal, while he was just a weak human. He could never be her boyfriend, or have any real role in her life. Maybe Jesse had been right and he _was_ like a pet to her. Maybe she'd been humoring him right from the start.

To be completely honest, it didn't matter to him anyway. He was so into Rachel he couldn't tell if it was the bond talking or not anymore. Everything revolved around her now; the nights were spent with her and the days were spent thinking about being with her after sunset. Her being a vampire barely even registered to him unless she was feeding from him, which had been happening more and more often over the past few weeks.

He didn't mind it at all, in fact, he was the one who encouraged it. She shouldn't try to deny her true nature just because she felt bad about her past. He was more than happy to give her permission to feed, and he found himself liking he sensation more and more as time went on. Being so close to her, trusting her with his life, was an addictive kind of feeling. He felt like it made their bond even stronger, if that was even possible.

One night, the week before Halloween, they were lying on Finn's tiny bed; Rachel was draping over his body while she sunk her fangs into his neck, drinking deeply. His body might have been tense underneath hers, but it wasn't from fear, more like restraint. The more time they spent together, the more he wanted to touch her and cross that delicate line of intimacy that they had been flirting with over he past few weeks. Sometimes he was sure she wanted him; especially when she was feeding and writhing on top of him. Other times he wasn't so sure. All he knew was that despite her vampiric nature, she was still a girl and he was still a boy. Without her permission though; all he could do was look and not touch.

Her fists were curled into his shirt as she took in mouthfuls of his blood, and he held her as close to him as their bodies would allow. Pulling away from him, she licked her lips happily as she sat upright above him. A small smile pulled up the corners of her mouth, and before she could say thank you, a small burp escaped her lips, so low he almost missed it. With her eyes wide open from the shock, Rachel brought a hand up to cover her mouth in embarrassment.

"Oh my goodness! Excuse me! How _mortifying_." She tried to shimmy off of him but he refused to let her go. A small laugh bubbled out of his lips and she looked like she wanted to run and hide under a rock. Instead, he sat up so their faces were at the same level and removed the hand from her mouth gently. There was still a trace of blood staining her lips, and he ran his finger over the stain to remove it as he closed the distance between them and placed his lips to hers.

She was shocked from the contact, but she didn't pull away as he coaxed her lips open with his tongue hesitantly. The taste of her mouth was both sweet and salty from the blood, and he ran his tongue down one of her fangs as she moaned softly. Feeling bold, he reached out to grab her body and let his hands roam in places he'd never dare touch.

Instead of pushing him away, she reciprocated in earnest, leaning into his warm hands and allowing him to explore her body.

"Rachel," he moaned into her mouth. "I want you, _so bad_." He didn't know what had possessed him to say that; he'd been so afraid to push her too far that he'd shown monumental restraint around her until now. The way she stilled in his arms made him worried that he'd crossed a line.

That is, until she grabbed his bottom lip with her teeth and bit down hard, drawing blood that started to fill his mouth and drip down his lip. The way her tongue plunged into his mouth then almost drove him over the edge as he gripped onto her flowy gown, letting his hand rest on the swell of her breast. She suckled on his lip as he brought his hands under her dress, removing it from her body while she grabbed onto his clothes as well. Her undergarments covered most of her body, and she shimmied out of them while he removed his shirt as well. His eyes never left her body while she stood naked before him; blushing scarlet while the moon shone into his bedroom and reflected off of her ivory skin.

"Finn, are you sure about this? I've never had sex with a human before. I could lose control, or hurt you. . ." He stopped her with a single finger placed over her mouth as he joined her on the bed once more.

"Rachel, I want to do this. I want you to know that it's not just the bond that keeps us together." He grabbed her hand in his and squeezed softly. "I love you."

She looked like she didn't believe him. "You do?" He nodded his head while she shook hers in disbelief. "But, I'm a vampire."

"I don't care about that, Rach. I want this. I want you." She didn't even have to say it back, he just wanted her to know how he felt about her. Even if the bond was lifted tomorrow, she needed to know that his affection went deeper than that.

She was silent for a few moments before she nodded her head, determined. "I want you, too, Finn." He stalked forward onto the bed until he had her trapped against the pillows, pressing his mouth to hers as she started to sink into the bedding. Holding her body in his arms, he couldn't help but notice how cold her skin was, and he tried to ignore it as his own body temperature rose. She felt so small underneath him, but in reality she could break every bone in his body without blinking an eye.

When their bodies joined together it created a cacophony of pleasure throughout the tiny bedroom as their moans and sighs filled the air. He held onto her body like a vice as he pumped into her, and he could feel her clawing the skin of his back haphazardly in-between moans. Looking down at her face, her brown eyes bled black once more as her vampiric nature threatened to surface while her fangs poked out from her upper lip. Instinctively, he knew that any sane person would be cautious or frightened at the sight in front of him.

To Finn, it was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.

He could feel her body tightening up below him, and in a flash of motion he realized that she had flipped the both of them over so he was the one on his back, and he looked up into the darkened eyes of his lover with a tinge of fear. Shouting out a cry of pleasure, she leaned forward and bit his neck roughly, giving into her instinct and triggering his own release.

He had no idea he was such a kinky guy.

He waited a few moments for her to regain control of herself while she licked the blood clean from the wound that throbbed painfully. When she was finished she slumped forward onto his chest, clearly spent yet still riding the waves of pleasure. When she finally looked up at him, her eyes were back to normal and the most dazzling smile he'd ever seen was clear on her face.

"Well, that was _fun_."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

What was she doing? Why was she even here? This was a bad idea, probably the worst idea she'd ever had, and she'd been alive for over a hundred years. How Finn had ever talked her into coming to one of his football games she would never know. Wasn't she supposed to be the one with the mind control powers? He was too good at talking her into things.

How could she resist him, though? It felt like this human had her wrapped around his little finger and she was helpless against him. Ever since they had _consummated_ their relationship, she found herself getting more and more attached to him by the day.

Not that she was complaining.

But a football game? It wasn't really the end of the world; it was a night game and she was sure that she would go unnoticed in the crowd, especially if she stood towards the back. It had just been a while since she'd been around so many people; vampires were not a fan of crowds, especially human ones and her instinct was to stay away from the mortal mob.

However, she still got ready, wearing her nicest dress and meticulously curling every hair on her head to perfection. When the ringlets hung perfectly around her face, she knew she was ready to go. Heading over to the school in silence, she started to wonder about this game she was about to be a spectator to, and why it was so important. The closer she got to the school the more people she started to see on the street. When she was a few blocks away from the field, she saw a familiar face that turned her blood into ice.

Jesse was standing in the middle of the road, watching the pedestrians walk over to he field with a sinister smirk on his face. She could think of no reason as to why he would want to watch a high school football game and his elusive threats from a few weeks ago still lingered in her mind and put her on edge. Picking up her skirt in a huff, she marched up to her maker demanding answers after he spotted her in his periphery.

"Well, if it isn't my little songbird looking like a blast from the past. Do you even bother trying to dress like it isn't the turn of the 20th century?"

"I am perfectly comfortable in my own clothes, thank you very much. What are you doing here? Planning on making a scene?"

"Not at all, Rachel. Just observing the fine people of this town. What brings you out of your tomb tonight?"

"I am here to see Finn perform." She wasn't sure if she was using the right verb, but she didn't know what else to call it. Football was about as foreign to her as French. His laughter did nothing to relieve the stress she felt for being in public.

"Ah, watching the dog play around with the other mutts. I see."

"Don't talk about Finn that way!"

"Why not? They're all animals, Rachel. They live only to give us food and entertainment, just like all domesticated livestock."

She shook her head in dismissal of his words. "What is your problem, Jesse? What is it about Lima that drew you back in after all these years?"

"Rachel, Rachel. You'll understand on Halloween. Lima is a very special place." His voice was bragging and she was tired of his riddles.

"What are you planning on Halloween? What has Shelby talked you into doing now?"

Looking offended, Jesse started to huff. "It was I who talked Shelby into this master plot! Your lack of faith in me is quite disturbing."

"_You_ are quite disturbing." She spit out her retort like venom. "What is the plan?"

"I wish I could tell you, my little songbird, but then you'll only try to ruin it for me and I plan on having so much fun." Waving goodbye, he turned on his heel and started to disappear into the night. "See you on Sunday, Rachel."

Standing in the middle of the road, she blinked furiously as she tried to figure out what Jesse had meant when she heard the sound of whistles and cheers in the distance. The football game! She was late! Using her super speed, she ran to the field and hid under the bleachers, watching the game through the gaps in the spectator's feet. She could tell which player was Finn immediately; no one was as tall and broad as Finn was, and she took note that he wore the number 5 so she could spot him at any time during the game.

The rules of the game went right over her head, but what she did realize was that Finn was the most important player on the field, which made her whole body burn with pride. Every time someone ran into him, knocking him down, she wanted to run onto the field and do the same to the other team. Luckily, she maintained her composure and cheered only when the people sitting above her did the same.

Towards the end of the game the crowd started to thin, probably because they were losing, and Rachel felt safe enough to emerge from her spot under the bleachers and sit with the crowd. She tucked her skirt underneath her legs like a lady as she sat down, and she could feel the stares of the other spectators on her while she tried to focus on the game. Maybe she should start investing in an article or two of modern clothing. . .

Luckily for her, the dress caught Finn's attention from the sidelines as well, and he started to wave enthusiastically at her from his position on the field. A blond-haired boy asked him a question, and she used her super hearing to eaves-drop and figure out what they were saying.

"Hey dude, who is that chick in the funky dress?"

"Oh, her? That's my girlfriend." Was all he said before turning his attention back to the game. Before she had the time to even absorb what she'd heard, the blond boy turned to give her a look that was filled with so much malice and hate, she had to look around to make sure he wasn't staring at someone else. For a split second, she was nervous. What did she ever do to deserve such a hate-filled look? She had no idea who that blond human even was! Deciding to ignore the youth completely, she stopped looking at him and instead tried to focus on what was going on in other parts of the football field. A bunch of girls in very revealing outfits were throwing their hands in the air and screaming rhymes at the audience, who seemed to enjoy it, and she wondered if that's what girls in this era wore all the time.

They were showing so much skin. . .

Before long, the game was over, and Rachel decided to stick around and walk Finn home. She waited until the crowd was almost gone before walking up to the small barricade that separated the players from the audience. When Finn spotted her, he jogged right up to her and leaned over to kiss her softly on the cheek, lingering for the smallest of moments.

"Hey." He purred huskily. "I'm so glad you came."

"Me too. You were fantastic, Finn."

He looked at her like she had three heads. "We lost 27-3!"

"Well, I said _you_ were fabulous, I didn't mean the team." They shared a small laugh and Finn gathered his things. "Can I walk you home?"

"Of course, Rach! Just let me drop off this stuff inside and change, I'll be right out." She walked with him towards the school and stood beside the doors while he waited for him to come out. Three of the girls that she'd seen before in the skimpy outfits walked past her, and she felt curiously threatened by their judging glares.

"What's with the dress, _Anne of Green Gables_? Halloween isn't until Sunday."

"Going to a comic-convention or something?"

"Your hair is so curly it looks like a poodle."

To say she was offended was an understatement; she was this close to going vampire on all these little bitches until Finn emerged from the locker room and absorbed the scene in front of him. "Hey, what's going on here?"

"Oh nothing, Finn. We were just wondering where she bought her dress. The _Museum of Natural History_?" The other girls cackled around their ringleader and Rachel felt like she wanted to disappear. Never before had she felt so self-conscious of her clothes.

Instead of baiting the vicious girls any further, Finn simply leaned over and captured Rachel's lips in his while the other girls looked on slack-jawed. He even ran his fingers through her ringlets for emphasis before pulling back and leading her away from the judgmental adolescents with an arm around her waist. She felt dangerously lightheaded, and allowed Finn to escort her away from those nasty twits, who didn't have much to say after that kiss.

She stayed silent for a few minutes as they maneuvered themselves around the streets of Lima. He had yet to let go of her waist, but he still hadn't said a word. She looked up at him meekly and tried to start a conversation.

"So, who were those girls?"

He shook his head. "My ex-girlfriend, Quinn and her two best friends, Santana and Brittany. Don't listen to anything they have to say, though. They're bitches."

She waited a second before speaking. "They were right, though."

"What?"

"My clothes are pretty ancient. Maybe I should start dressing like the girls from this era. It would help me blend in more."

"You can dress however you want, but only if it's what makes you feel comfortable." Sighing deeply, he squeezed her waist softly as they made their way back to Finn's house. "I like the way you dress. Poufy skirts and frilly lace and stuff."

"You do?"

Smiling down at her, he nodded as all of her doubts practically melted away. "Yeah, I do."

"Good. I do too." They walked a few more blocks before she asked the question that had been eating at her all evening. "Who was that blond haired kid you were playing football with?"

"Sam? He's the new kid in town. I don't know that much about him."

"You told him I was your girlfriend." Stilling in the middle of the sidewalk, he searched her face to gauge her reaction.

"Well, you kind of are." She thrilled at his response and decided to tease him.

"But you never asked my permission." She said innocently.

Slowly, a half-smirk stretched across his face as he picked up one of her hands in his, kissing the back of it lightly. "Rachel, would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"

"It would be my pleasure."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

When Finn woke up the next morning, it took all of his energy to roll out of bed and get ready for practice. Rachel had walked him home last night, only to stay with him until about 3am. They talked, they kissed, they made love until he thought his little bed would break under the pressure. Rachel was his girlfriend now, and he had to get accustomed to her late hours if he wanted to spend any real amount of time with her. He'd maybe gotten six hours of sleep tops when his alarm signaled him to the start of a bright Saturday afternoon, the day before Halloween.

Dragging himself out of bed begrudgingly, he wondered when Rachel had slipped out of his house; he clearly remembered her falling asleep in his arms, but she was meticulous about leaving before sunrise. While he stood under the hot spray of the shower, he tried to picture her sleeping in her over-sized bed when a dull ache snapped him out of his daydreams. Bringing a hand up to his neck, he realized that the bite marks on his throat were still raw and visible. Normally she used some of her blood to heal him, but last night they must have forgotten. When he stepped out of the shower he put some antibacterial cream on his neck and covered it with a large gauze pad before finishing his routine and heading off to practice.

The field was sunny and freshly trimmed on that late October morning, and Finn idly wondered what he and Rachel were planning to do for the holiday tomorrow. Remembering Jesse's threat from earlier that month, he wondered what the elder vampire was scheming and how it would affect any plans he might make with Rachel. Halloween was a Sunday this year, meaning all the people in this town would have their festivities before sundown; Jesse's threat seemed rather weak after he dissected it for a while. Parking his car across from the field, he saw out of the corner of his eye someone walking into the janitor's shack that was left locked at all times. Shrugging, he thought that even janitors should have the weekends off sometimes.

Practice was long and tedious, as usual. Coach Beiste was furious at the team's loss, so the first half of practice was spent running perimeter laps around the school and doing sprints until he thought his legs would fall off. Sam kept shooting him these weird looks that made him feel uncomfortable; like he was quietly judging Finn from afar yet Finn could find no real source for his animosity. Was he still pissed about losing the quarterback position? That had happened _weeks_ ago.

After hours of hard work and training, the sun started to sink lower towards the horizon, and Finn wanted nothing more but to spend the rest of the night in the arms of his vampire lover. He was about to walk off the field towards his car when he heard the booming voice of the coach echo around him. "Hudson! Follow me, I need to speak with you in my office!" Turning on his heel, he dragged himself into the school and followed Beiste into her office. He was surprised to see Sam in there as well; his arms crossed over his chest and a deep frown etched into his face. Maybe he _was_ still sore about the quarterback position.

"Hey!" All of a sudden, Sam pushed him down into the seat in front of the Coach's desk, and unceremoniously ripped the gauze pad off of his neck, exposing his bite marks. "Ow!"

"You see, Aunt Shannon! I was right! Vampires." Wait, Aunt Shannon? . . .

"Good work, Sam. Stand by the door, make sure he doesn't leave."

"What's going on?" He said, trying to feign ignorance. What did these people know about vampires? Suddenly, keeping Rachel's secret was his number one priority as he fought down the stares of the people in front of him.

"Don't play stupid, Hudson. It makes you look dumber than you already are." The large woman started to pace around Finn's seat, making him anxious. "You and I both know that there's something different about the town of Lima, Ohio. For over fifteen years, I have been hunting demons across this country, but never have I seen a town so helpless against the monsters that stalk the night." His breathing became erratic when he realized how much Coach Beiste knew about vampires. "Which is why I moved here, with my nephew Sam. We are trained vampire hunters and we plan on purging this town of the evil that lurks in the dark."

"Yeah, right! You have no idea what you're up against." Rachel had told her the story about Jesse and his witchy partner-in-crime, Shelby. Jesse was old and powerful in his own way, but Shelby was a force to be reckoned with in Rachel's words. Apparently she was even older than Jesse; she'd been one of the witches from colonial Salem, Massachusettes who used the power of an ancient ring to keep her alive. According to Rachel, this Shelby woman couldn't die unless the ring was removed from her finger, and she knew of some very powerful magic. "Those vampires will rip you apart."

Beiste scoffed at Finn while she walked to the far end of her office by a storage unit. "Son, I have been killing vampires longer than you've been potty trained." Opening the doors of the unit, Finn was shocked to see weapons of all kinds being showcased in front of him. Stakes of all sizes, sharpened to a point, crossbows, guns with wooden bullets, silver chains. Even a large, intimidating knife that reflected the dim light of the room off it's blade.

Anxiety started to flood his system when he realized the implications of all of this information. He was surrounded by vampire hunters who had every intention of wiping this town clean of their influence. While he didn't disagree with their goals, there was only one thing that stood out on his mind.

_Rachel_.

He had to warn her. They had to escape Lima. Run away to a place without vampires so they could never be found or tracked. He was going to have to drop out of school and break his mothers heart, but right now all that mattered was Rachel's safety.

"Now Hudson, we need your help. We know you have a direct connection to the vampires of this town and you need to tell us where to find them."

"Never." He would never sell out Rachel like that! Besides, she was one of the good ones; he didn't even know where to find Jesse and the other vampires. "Just because someone is a vampire doesn't automatically make them evil."

"You fucking moron!" Sam looked like he wanted to choke Finn in that one second, and his aunt had to run to hold the teenager back. "That's the kind of thinking that will get you killed. That will kill your family and friends!" Breathing deeply, Sam had murder in his eyes. "We're doing this so that no one else has to end up like me; an orphan whose parents were murdered by demons! All vampires are _evil_!" Beiste pat the young boy on his back and Sam calmed visibly. He went back to being a bystander in the conversation and Finn was reeling from the new information as Beiste turned back around to address him.

"Hudson, we have reason to believe that you might be under the spell of a vampire. You're not thinking clearly."

"I know exactly what I'm doing, bond or no bond."

The large woman started to beg with the teen. "Son, we're trying to save this town and we need your help. Things are only going to get worse and we need to start fighting back. From this point on, you're either with us, or against us." Looking up at his Coach and his teammate, whoever they truly were, a strange sort of calm settled into his system. He never thought he would have to choose between humans and vampires, but now that the choice had to be made, he didn't hesitate for a second with his answer.

"I'm sorry. I can't be on your side when I know for a fact that there are vampires out there who have a conscience and are just trying to live out their existence. If I knew where the evil vampires were, I would tell you, but I don't." Standing up to leave, he tried to push past the blond teen, but was shoved roughly back into the office. Taking a deep breath, Finn didn't hesitate for a second before pulling back his fist and punching Sam right in the face, knocking him over and running out of the office towards his car.

He had to find Rachel, fast. They had to be out of town before sunrise. It was the only way they would stay safe.

After Finn had left, Coach Beiste picked her nephew off of the floor, standing him on his feet and helping him balance. Looking into the blue eyes of the only family she had left, she gave Sam his command.

"Follow Hudson and bring his vampire to me."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part Five should be done by this weekend!

Until Next Time. . ._sings_. . .Don't Stop. . .Reviewing!


	5. Part 5

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy. :)

**Part Five**

Rachel awoke from her daily sleep a little bit before sunset. She maneuvered herself stealthily around the house as to avoid any stray rays of light that might have seeped into the cracks in the curtains. Humming brightly, she got dressed and waited patiently for the sun to set so she could leave the house and go see Finn. They had to figure out what their plans were going to be for Halloween; as much as she wanted to go out and have fun with her boyfriend, Jesse's threat still hung in the air, and she had no idea what he was planning.

The last tendrils of light in the sky started to die down and she was about to leave the house to head for Finn's when she heard a commotion out on her front porch. Suddenly, her boyfriend burst through the front doors, sweating, panting, and out of breath.

"Finn! What happened?" He took a few deep, heaving breaths before he was able to talk.

"Rachel, we have to get out of here!" The panic in his voice made her uneasy.

"What?"

"Pack your best dresses and be ready to go by midnight. I'll go home and get my mom's car and we can be in the next state by sunrise. Have you ever been to Indiana?" He was babbling so fast she could barely soak in what he was telling her. He wanted her to leave her home? What was going on?

"Finn, I don't understand. What's going on? Why do we have to leave Lima?"

"They know, Rach! There are vampire hunters in town and they know that I know about vampires. We have to leave Lima and run. They want me to turn you in."

If her heart could beat, she was sure it would have stopped in that very moment. Vampire hunters? In her town? She felt indignation bubble under the surface. How dare they try to intimidate her on her own home turf! She couldn't just _leave_ her home. Lima wasn't just a town to her; it was the place where she'd lived and died and lived again. She had never left his town in her long, immortal life and she'd never planned on doing so.

This was exactly what she'd always been afraid of all these years, coming true right in front of her eyes. Not only was she in danger, but Finn was a target too because of their relationship. It was foolish to think that she could have ever gotten away with trying to blend into the human world. Everything that had happened with Finn had been one huge mistake since the very beginning.

"What are you waiting for? We have to go!"

Rachel simply placed a hand up to calm him down. "Finn, I think it's best if you leave now."

"What are you talking about?"

"I never should have dragged you into this dangerous life. You deserve so much better than having to live in fear of vampires and hunters and demons. This is all my fault. You're so much better off without me in your life" His face crumpled into an expression of anguish, and she had to steel her resolve.

"Rachel, you don't mean that. _I love you_." Deep down, she knew that Finn wasn't going to leave without a fight, and she knew exactly what needed to be said.

"No you don't, Finn! You _never_ loved me. It was the bond talking the whole time." As much as it pained her to lie to the only person she had ever truly loved, he would never have a normal life if he stayed with her. "I never should have bonded with you in the first place; it's caused nothing but trouble."

"You're lying. You're making excuses." He said through gritted teeth. "Rachel, _please_. They're going to come after you no matter what happens between the two of us. You need to get away from here."

"I'm not going _anywhere_, Finn. I am more than capable of taking care of myself. You're the one who needs to stay away." Taking a deep breath, she readied herself for what she was about to do. It was the only way to make sure he would stay away from her. It had to be done. She walked forward until she was staring up into his soulful brown eyes and started to focus on the power that connected them. "Finn, I release you from the bond. You and I are no longer connected, and you are to leave this house and never come back." She pulled at the tendrils of power that connected them together until she felt them go taut and snap like rubber bands.

The feeling that spread through her in that moment was almost pure agony. It felt like she was splitting herself in half, like she was losing an arm or a leg when she had physical evidence that she was still perfectly in tact. Her heart clenched painfully, and the absence of the bond could be felt immediately. Finn was holding his head in his hands and she could see a single tear leaking out of his eye from her periphery. His breathing was heavy. She forced herself not to care.

With a look of betrayal etched into his face, he started to back away from her, his hands still clutching his head. She wanted nothing more than to reach out to him, and console him for the loss they both felt so strongly, but that would be counteractive to removing the bond. This was for the best. Now he could have a regular, normal life and focus on football and cheerleaders and everything else she would never understand.

Before he left her house, he turned to her one last time, his face a mask of grief while he mourned the loss of the bond. "Just so you know, Rachel, it was _never_ the bond talking. I still love you. Please, just be safe." With those parting words, he walked out of her house and the footsteps became lower and lower until she could no longer hear any movement outside of her house.

She was all alone.

The dull ache in her heart started to pound painfully when she realized exactly what she had just done. She had severed the one and only true connection she had ever experienced with a human being because he wanted to protect her and keep her safe from danger. Sometimes her stubbornness still won out over her logic, and she sat in her parlor as silent tears started to streak noiselessly down her cheeks.

What had she _done_?

Falling into her hands, she sat there and cried for what seemed like hours, even though it was barely a few minutes. It felt like someone had torn a piece of her soul away, and it stung like salt in an open wound.

The sound of footsteps could be heard in the distance, and for a moment Rachel thought it was Finn, coming back against her command. She should have realized that Finn would never do that when the door opened and a blond teenager entered her house without an invitation. Feeling threatened and overly emotional, she didn't hesitate to extend her fangs and attack the stranger.

Before she was able to pounce on the intruder, he unloaded a crossbow in her general direction and the wooden arrow hit her directly in the right shoulder, weakening her until she collapsed on the floor. Finn had been right; these hunters were out to get her. Desperately, she tried to reach out to Finn for help but remembered that their bond was gone. He could no longer sense when she was in danger, and she tried in vain to pull the arrow out of her shoulder.

"So, how often do you brainwash teenagers to become your personal buffet? I bet the boys in this town just _love_ your style." She stared up at the vicious eyes of her attacker and recognized him as the boy she had seen at Finn's football game. The new kid, Sam.

"It's not like that, I would never hurt Finn." He pulled out a long chain of silver and she wanted to scream. Silver was dangerous to vampires; it weakened them and could melt her skin right off. "Finn loves me, you could ask him yourself!"

"Finn was under one of your spells, demon. I would have chased after him too, if I hadn't heard your fight from outside. Now that you've released him, he's no longer a priority for us."

"Please, you can do whatever you want to me, just promise to leave Finn alone." She begged. Sam's expression was rife with confusion.

"For a vampire, you sure care a lot about that human." He shrugged to himself before slipping the silver chain around her neck like a collar. The metal started to eat away at her skin, melting through it like butter until she was so weak she thought she might pass out. She felt herself being lifted through the air and was thrown into the back cabin of a pick-up truck. The last thing she thought about before she lost consciousness was Finn, and how he'd been right all along.

It hadn't been the bond talking at all.

The love had been real the entire time.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It had been difficult for Finn to fall asleep that night, it felt like every part of his body hurt, even the parts that he'd never thought possible. His heart hurt, his brain hurt, hell, it even hurt to breathe. It felt like someone had stampeded all over his soul, and the aches in his body just wouldn't go away. When he finally did sleep, he had dreams about rivers of blood and Rachel flying in the air with his heart in her hands. He wondered if he should even bother trying to sleep at all.

A nagging thought kept poking at him while he tried to relax. Something wasn't right, and it was an uneasiness that stayed with him until he woke up the next morning, the sun shining through his window, encouraging him to experience a brand new day.

He wanted the sun to just go away and leave him alone. What was the point in experiencing a new day without Rachel at his side? He didn't even feel like himself anymore; Rachel had stolen a piece of him that he would never get back and he tried desperately to push her out of his thoughts.

It didn't work.

It wasn't even noon on a Sunday, yet Finn was already out of bed and itching to find something to do that would keep his mind off of vampire ex-girlfriends and cosmic connections. It was Halloween; there had to be something planned in this town, no matter how boring it normally was.

Walking through the streets of Lima, he could see families who were already getting a head start on trick-or-treating, bouncing from one house to the next while parents waited patiently for the children to collect their candy. He smiled at the kids who were dressed so vibrantly and weaved his way through the streets until he made it to the center of town, where the annual Halloween parade was about to begin at noon.

The mayor of Lima stepped up to the podium to begin the festivities as the sun shone down brightly upon the citizens of the town. A brisk wind swept through the multi-colored leaves as the portly man introduced the marching band and other sponsors who had helped make the event possible. It was so small-town picturesque, that for a minute he imagined Rachel, and how much she would enjoy an event like this. However, he quickly remembered the reasons why that would never be possible and chased the idea out of his head. Not only would she never be able to stand in the town square at high noon for an event like this, but they were broken up and he could no longer entertain those kinds of fantasies.

The mayor finally announced the beginning of the parade and as the crowd cheered, Finn noticed the light breeze beginning to pick up, blowing around the streamers and other decorations that were scattered around the town center. It quickly became a full-out gale before long, and Finn had to wrap his jacket around himself even tighter to keep out the chill. Looking up in the sky, an intimidating dark cloud was looming over the horizon and heading straight for them. The sky slowly began to darken until the sun's rays were completely swallowed by the impenetrable darkness of the cloud. Other people began to notice the darkness as well, but the parade continued uninterrupted.

A certain uneasiness spread through Finn once the cloud settled in place and the darkness started to mimic nightfall. He broke apart from the crowd and in his periphery he could see people emerging from the alleys and buildings that surrounded the town square. People with dark eyes and sharp teeth. . .

_Vampires_.

All of a sudden, Jesse's threat for Halloween made a lot more sense. _Stay inside on Halloween_. He hadn't meant Halloween night, he'd meant the entire day!

A scream in the crowd brought his attention back to the present, where he saw a vampire viciously attack a member of the PTA. Blood went spilling into the streets and sent the other vampires in the vicinity into a blood lust that was quickly becoming out of control. People began to scatter in the chaos and now more than ever, he wished he was still connected to Rachel through the bond. She would know what to do in this situation better than anyone. But her final command still lingered in his sub-conscious and he knew he was forbidden from going to her house, so finding Rachel was no longer an option.

He had only one other choice.

Splitting himself away from the parade and vampire attacks, he ran straight for the high school to find the town's resident vampire hunters. He pumped his legs as fast as he could to escape the sounds of the screams and find help. Even if they weren't there, at least he knew where he could get some weapons, and hopefully he could do some damage while he waited for reinforcements.

The halls were empty as he ran through the school, screaming for Sam and Coach Beiste while his voice echoed off the walls. The place looked deserted as he made his way to the locker rooms and Beiste's office. Approaching the door, he found it locked, but kicked it open with as much force as he could muster. This was an emergency! The door swung open and he ran to the cabinet in the corner to find some weapons. He opened it and pulled out two stakes, stuffing them in his pockets. He took the long knife and slipped it in his jacket, just in case.

Turning around, he was about to leave the office to go slay some vampires, when a structure in the far corner of the office caught his eye.

A cage, no larger than a dogs kennel, was pushed into the far corner of the office with a large blanket draped over it. He knew he should have just left the office to go help against the vampire attack, but something drew him closer and closer to the cage, like he was under some kind of spell. What was in that thing? Pulling back the blanket, he gasped out loud at what he saw.

Rachel was sprawled out on the bottom of the cage, curled up into a ball and holding herself like she might fall apart at any second. Her skin was sickly pale compared to how it normally looked, and her fangs were extended even though she looked asleep. Taking in her haggard appearance, he finally realized that a long, thin chain was wrapped around her neck that seemed to be eating away at the skin there.

It was silver.

"Rachel!" He shook the bars to get her attention and tried in vain to open the locked cage. He needed a key. "Rachel, please, wake up!" Her eyelids began to flutter noiselessly while she regained consciousness. When her eyes opened, they were unfocused and it took her a second to make eye contact with him.

"Finn?" He breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn't in a more serious state of duress. "Finn?"

"It's me, Rachel." He stuck his hand through the bars and tried to grab some part of her. He connected with one of her arms and reached for her hand. "I'm gonna get you out of here."

"You can't. The bars are made of silver and Beiste has the key." She croaked. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"I came here looking for weapons. Jesse's plan _worked_, Rachel. There's his huge black cloud outside that's blocking out the sun. Vampires are everywhere, attacking people under a cover of darkness. People are dying out there and I needed to do something." He reached for her hand and finally grabbed onto it, squeezing the tiny fingers that she could barely squeeze back. "I have to get you out of here."

"No, Finn, you have to go save those people. Shelby is behind the cloud, it's a spell. You need to find her and stop her. I can feel her aura close by. She is on school property, that much I can tell."

"How am I supposed to stop her, Rachel? I thought you said she couldn't die."

"Finn, the whole town is in danger as long as she continues that spell. You need to stop her. Once the cloud is gone then Jesse's plan will fall apart."

Nodding his head, he was determined to stop Shelby and help save his town but he still wanted Rachel to be safe. "I'm coming back for you. As soon as I figure out how to get Shelby to lift the spell I'm going to come back and save you."

"Finn..." He could tell she wanted to say more, but they were running short on time.

"Please, Rachel, just hold on. I'll be back." Wanting nothing more than to free the vampire from her prison, he steeled himself for the task at hand. He had to find a centuries-old witch and get her to remove the spell she'd placed on the town before vampires made a buffet out of his peers.

Easier said than done.

He started to scour every inch of the school; always alert and waiting for something to pop out and attack him. The hallways were eerily quiet as he poked his head into every classroom, looking for some signs that somebody was around. He checked the chemistry labs, the auditorium, the gym and locker rooms. He even went into the basement and the generator rooms to see if anyone was lingering in obscure places.

He couldn't find a soul. Maybe Rachel had been wrong, and the aura she'd sensed had been further away. How do you sense an aura anyway?

He was about to give up searching entirely as he walked through the second floor hallways, looking out the windows to the football field beneath. The field was empty as the darkness stretched in front of him, and the smoke from the janitor's shack could be seen curling into the sky.

Wait, why was there smoke coming from the janitor's shack?

Running towards the staircase and out of the back doors of the school, Finn slipped the knife out of his pocket and into his hands as he quietly approached the shack. Behind those doors was a witch who was older than the town of Lima itself and she could vaporize him with her magic in an instant if she wanted to. How was he supposed to get her to take off the spell?

Taking a deep lungful of air, which might just be his very last breath, he held onto the knife in his hand and opened the door, wincing as a strong and pungent odor assaulted his nostrils. In the far back of the shack, a woman in black was huddled over a fire, and he approached her as silently as possible. She was lost in her chant and had yet to notice him.

Suddenly, her head shot up and she saw him standing above her, a stranger in the midsts of her magic. He retreated a few steps as she rose to her feet in the small space. He backed up into the wall where the custodial landscaping tools were hung in storage, hitting into them with a loud clang.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with venom lacing her tone. "You're ruining my spell."

Instead of running away screaming, he let the adrenaline that was pumping through his body give him strength. "You need to stop what you're doing, now. People are out there dying and it's all Jesse's fault." She shrugged while idly picking at her nails from boredom.

"Are you kidding? This is the most fun I've had in ages. Nobody plans these kinds of things anymore. I've missed the smell of mayhem in the morning."

"If you refuse to help me, I'll be forced to make you stop." He tried to sound as serious and authoritarian as possible, but the witch began to laugh at the idle threat.

"You have been touched by magic." She began to say, stepping closer to Finn who was now feeling a bit trapped in the tiny space. "Yes, I can smell it on you, the lingering traces of magic that are wrapped around your aura. Isn't it a wonderful thing? Why would you want to get rid of something to powerful?"

"Cause you're using it to hurt people. The magic I felt was beautiful because it came out of love, not out of a desire to see pain and suffering." How many more people in town had been attacked since he'd left the parade? How many had been killed? "You have to stop this spell."

"Sorry kid. I'm under orders."

"Yeah?" He grasped the knife in his hand. "Well so am I." Hoping to catch her off guard, he lunged at her with the knife to intimidate her and was shocked when she grabbed him by the hands and plunged the knife into her gut herself. A wicked smile stretched across her face as blood seeped into her mouth, and Finn watched in horror as she pulled the knife out and threw it in the floor. Right before his eyes, the bleeding wound in her abdomen started to close up by itself until there was nothing left but a stain in her clothes. Shelby licked the blood away from her lips with a smile.

"Your little knife can do nothing to me. You're beginning to annoy me now." She reached for him in the tight space and he pushed her away from him fast enough so he could try to find something else to defend himself. He reached on the wall for the first thing he could grab, which was a shovel, and turned to face the ancient witch with the only weapon he could muster. She grabbed for him once more and he swung the shovel wildly, wincing as she tried to grab the spade with her hands like she'd done with the knife. Instead, the sound of crunching bones could be heard as he slammed her hands down onto the work table with the spade, severing her fingers from her hands entirely.

Reeling from he shock of what he'd just done, he knew in that instant that he was going to die. There was no way she would hesitate using her magic against him now, and he feared spending he rest of eternity as a frog or a black cat or some other variety of animal. However, it was only after her blood-curdling screams filled the air when he noticed a huge ring rolling across the work table, still attached to a bloody finger.

Shelby continued to scream as the blood poured from her hands and before she had a second to gather herself together to attack, Finn watched in horror as she began to age right in front of his very eyes. The ring that had kept her alive and young for so long had been removed, and now time was catching up to her rather quickly. It looked as if the life force was being drained from her as the seconds ticked by, and before long he was looking at a withered and wrinkled corpse of a woman, lying dead on the floor of the janitors shack. With wide eyes, the corpse disintegrated in front of him until there was nothing left but dust that was being pushed around by the wind. Suddenly, he remembered the spell and poked his head outside to find that the dark cloud was no longer hanging overhead. With his mission accomplished, he grabbed the ring from the severed finger and started to head back to the school.

He needed to save Rachel and get her as far away from this town as possible.

Lying on the floor of the tiny cage that held her captive, Rachel was in agony under the power of the silver chains. She couldn't move, she couldn't escape, she could barely even think she was so weak. Part of her thought that she was _finally_ going to die; she should have died so long ago, it was about time that it finally happened.

She just wished she'd had the chance to say goodbye to Finn, and tell him how much he'd meant to her. If she had any regrets at all, it was that she'd never had the chance to tell him that she loved him, and that the love she felt had absolutely nothing to do with their bond. He'd always been the first to admit his feelings for her and now she cursed herself for ever hesitating to admit how she'd felt about him. It was the least she could have done and she might never have another chance.

Now she might have just sent him to his death. How was he supposed to defeat Shelby when she had that ring? What were his chances against a witch as strong as she was?

The footsteps returned and for a moment she prayed to whatever God might exist that it was Finn and he'd succeeded in his task and was there to rescue her. It was a huge blow to whatever hope she'd been clinging to when she came face to face with her captor, Coach Beiste and her nephew Sam. She hadn't learned much about them since she'd been captured, but she did know that they were family and held a huge vendetta against all vampires. Coach Beiste snarled at her from outside of the cage and ripped open the door, pulling her out from her prison and throwing her into the chair by her desk. The silver chain was still wrapped around her neck and she was powerless against it. Her body slumped against the chair, exhausted and in agony.

"So, your friends pulled a number on this town today, vampire." She said, circling around the desk. "15 people were killed and over 25 others were injured because of that little prank. We've rounded up the remaining townspeople in the auditorium; the sun sets for real in a little while and the vampires will be looking for an easy meal, so we're bringing them to us."

"Wait, so the sun is back?" Finn had succeeded? Where was he?

"Yes, Princess, the sun is back. Should I show you myself?" She threatened darkly, and Rachel cowered.

"What do you want from me?" She asked in a small voice. "Why are you keeping those people here if you know the vampires are coming back for revenge? You need to get them into their homes, it's the only place they'll be safe."

Sam stepped forward with his hands crossed over his chest and a frown set deep into his young face, making him look much older than seventeen. "We're gonna lure them here with the promise for fresh blood then ambush them so they can't hurt anyone else."

Coach Beiste picked her up roughly by the arms and threw her back into the cage. Sam started to drag her cage towards the auditorium, where she could hear people talking from the halls. "This is also our chance to prove to this town what really goes on once the sun sets." She cowered away from the silver bars and curled herself back into a ball when she felt herself being wheeled into the auditorium full of people. The smell of blood and fear clung onto every single person there, and as hungry as she was, all she wanted to do was to scream at them to go home where they would be safe. But she was so weak she could barely keep her eyes open, so she stayed silent and hoped that Finn hadn't paid the ultimate price for saving the town.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of Lima, Ohio!" Beiste's voice projected throughout the large auditorium and the conversations began to die down until everyone was listening with rapt attention. "We all know what we witnessed this afternoon. Your town has been plagued with evil for many years, and tonight is the night we seize back control!" The crowd cheered on. "I have brought you a vampire, that I caught myself, to prove to you that we can rid these demons from our town for good." Looking over at her nephew, she beckoned Sam to open the cage. "Using her as an example, I will show you all the proper way to kill a vampire. Observe." Beiste was about to pass the key to Sam to open the cage when a familiar voice rang throughout the auditorium.

"No! Stop! Don't touch her!" Just when she was about to lose all hope, she saw the tall figure of her lover running down the aisles, taking long strides to reach her on the stage. Wait, was he holding a shovel? Sam tried to push Finn away from the stage, but Finn swung the shovel and it hit Sam in the back, hard. Falling to his knees with a loud groan, Finn stepped around him and stood in front of the audience who had responded with shocked silence. "You have to listen to me! You all have to get out of here and return to your homes. The sun is going to set for real soon and you'll be powerless against the vampires when they come back for revenge." Rachel was watching this from her cage, still shocked that Finn had somehow survived his encounter with Shelby. He turned to Beiste and dropped the shovel.

"I don't want to fight you. Rachel and I can be your allies if you let us and we'll be able to find the vampire who did this to the town. You have to let Rachel go."

Looking like she wanted to argue, it took a few seconds for Beiste to fight her internal battle, but she eventually handed the key over to Finn, who turned to Rachel's cage with success shining in his eyes.

Before he could even crouch down to reach for the lock, Rachel screamed as Jesse suddenly appeared on stage, looking furious with his fangs fully extended. He was standing behind Finn in an instant, and the boy was barely cognizant that Jesse was standing so close to him. He leaned in close to whisper in Finn's ear.

"You killed my witch. Now I'm gonna kill you." Finn's eyes widened in fear for a split second before Jesse reached out and grabbed him by the head, twisting and snapping his neck with a loud crack. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Rachel saw his eyes flutter close and his body fall at an unnatural angle. The entire audience started to scream as Finn's lifeless body crumpled to the floor, and Jesse's sinister laugh was all she could hear as the auditorium erupted into pure chaos.

If she had any energy left, she would scream until her vocal chords burst.

Silent tears would have to suffice.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Finale is coming up next chapter! Poor Finn! Poor Rachel!

Until Next Time. . .*sings* Don't Stop. . .Reviewing!


	6. Part 6

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy! :)

**Part Six: The Finale**

Throwing herself down on the floor of the silver-barred cage that kept her captive, Rachel had to blink away the tears that blurred her vision as she tried to get as close to Finn's body as possible. The sorrow that seeped into her very core was overwhelming her, and the ensuing chaos that surrounded her in the auditorium faded into nothing as she focused on Finn's face, barely inches in front of her.

He looked so peaceful, like he was sleeping or resting after a long and arduous day. All she wanted to do was reach out and touch him, to prove that this was real and not some trick of her mind. When she tried to slip her hands through the bars, though, her skin brushed against the silver and scalded her already battered flesh. Right now she didn't care, she could throw her whole body against the silver and it wouldn't even matter anymore.

Finn was _dead_. Jesse had _killed_ him.

Now more than ever, she regretted never having the chance to tell him how much she cared about him. Reaching through the bars, she winced as the silver burned away at the skin on her arm, but she braved the pain and rested her hand over his. It was the hand that was still holding the key to her cage. She could try to reach for it and save herself, but she was too weak to make her escape unnoticed. She took a second to look up and the stage was now deserted; Jesse had run off into the screaming crowd once he had snapped Finn's neck, so he was nowhere to be seen. As long as she was being ignored in the fray that raged on around her, she took the opportunity to finally say what had been in her heart since the very beginning.

"Finn." She cooed to the body in front of her. For a moment, she waited for an answer and then realized her mistake, soldiering on. "Finn, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I dragged you into this mess. You deserved so much better than this." She blinked away the tears that blurred Finn's face from her view. "I'm even more sorry that I never got to tell you how much I care about you. You were right all along." She sighed. "The bond meant nothing compared to how much I love you," her voice broke from the grief as her skin sizzled and burned from the contact with the silver. "I wish that I could have told you that before now." That was the moment when she lost control of the emotions that raged through her and finally succumbed to the tears. The silver that scalded against her arms and dug deep into her neck had weakened her immensely, but she still had the energy to cry.

Her fingers brushed over the hand that she was holding, and she paused her movement when she made contact with something hard and smooth. Looking up, she wiped the tears away with her other hand so she could figure out what the foreign object was.

It looked like a ring. . .

All of a sudden, the hand she was holding moved the slightest bit, enough for her to be startled by the action and pull her hand away. It was barely a twitch of the fingers, but he'd still moved, she was absolutely positive.

Looking up with wide eyes, she watched as the body in front of her started to move. The neck that had been snapped only minutes ago started to lift off of the floor, and she watched, incredulous, as Finn sat up on his knees and cracked it back into place with a loud pop. The noise was lost in the chaos that ensued around them and Rachel was frozen from shock as the impossible was happening right in front of her eyes.

Finn was _alive_.

Shaking his head back and forth, then rolling it around from shoulder to shoulder, Rachel cringed at the sound of the cracks and snaps as Finn's neck reset into place. The ring she'd felt on his hand must have really been Shelby's, and had granted him immortality. How had he managed to kill her? Why was she even asking questions right now? The love of her existence was no longer dead!

"Finn?" She whispered, as she made her presence known. His head shot up and she stared into his eyes as his trademark half-smile pulled up his left cheek into a lopsided grin.

"Hey Rach," he said, as if he hadn't just been dead in front of her and there wasn't a vampire-human war brewing around them. He put his finger to his lips as he crouched back down into his original position on the floor. He was whispering, and she had to strain to hear him over the sounds that filled the auditorium. "Stay as quiet as possible, I don't think anyone else has noticed I'm alive." He took the key in his hands and reached up to unlock the cage.

"Finn, you need to save yourself and get out of here. I'm too weak to escape unseen."

"Just do as I say, Rachel. I have a plan." He unlocked the cage but did not open the door. Instead, he stuck his arm into Rachel's cage, pulling at the chain around her neck until it started to slip off of her burning skin. She had to choke back a scream at the pain that blazed against her sensitive flesh, but after a minute of the torturous sensation, the silver was finally free from her neck. While the searing pain was gone, however, she was still too weak to really even move. The only thing that would cure her was blood, and a lot of it.

After he freed her from her silver prison, he turned his wrist towards her and pushed it close to her face. "Drink, and take as much as you need. Don't hesitate for a second; you can't hurt me anymore." His words were all the encouragement she needed as she sunk her fangs greedily into his skin. The knowledge that she could drink until she was satisfied fueled her vigor until she felt the strength return to her body in waves.

She broke apart from Finn's wrist and licked the blood that dripped down her face, greedily sucking on her fingers and trying to take in every drop of blood in sight. When she looked up at Finn he was beaming at her, watching her feed with a bright glint in his eyes. In his hands he held the silver chain that had kept her captive, and he squeezed it in his fists while the wound from her fangs closed right in front of her face.

"Now this is what were gonna do. . ."

. . . . . . . . . . .

Finn never thought he would know what it was like to be dead. He was sure that he'd actually died for a few minutes; while waiting for the ring to do it's magic and restore his life, he'd felt disconnected from the work around him, floating in a kind of limbo until he regained consciousness. But when he did come back to the mortal world, the first thing he felt was Rachel's cool hands on his skin, and the first thing he heard was the sound of her crying.

He knew it had been a good idea to slip on the ring he'd found in the shack. He thought it would never fit; seeing as Shelby was a slim woman, any ring on her finger would never fit Finn's thick digits. But as he slipped the finger onto his right middle finger to check it out, the band began to stretch to accommodate the size.

Now that the ring had done it's job and his life was restored, he was filled with a sense of purpose he'd never felt before in his short life. He now had the power of the ancient ring that had kept Shelby immortal for over four hundred years; nothing would be able to hold him back from stopping Jesse, and ending this battle once and for all.

Once Rachel had stopped feeding from him, he took the silver chains into his hands with the intentions of using it against the vampires that filled the auditorium. When he looked up at Rachel, he couldn't help but smile at how much healthier she looked. His blood had instantly restored her strength, and the deep burns in her skin were healing, leaving her skin looking flawless as usual.

"Now this is what we're gonna do. . .," he whispered his plan to his vampire companion and noticed her lips turn up in a wicked smile. Plotting with Rachel was fun. Before he could scurry away into hiding though, Rachel grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him deeply, with more passion than he'd ever felt before.

"In case I never get the chance to do this again, I love you." Her voice was serene and calm, despite the melee that surrounded them. He wished he could reciprocate more, but there wasn't any time. She nodded to him in understanding while he began to crawl off-stage, as to not draw attention to himself in the crowd of vampires and humans below. Once Rachel had walked towards the front of the stage to begin the plan, he stole a glance at the mayhem that had engulfed the auditorium into a full-blown war-zone. He spotted Coach Beiste and Sam, who were actually quite skilled and holding off the bulk of the vampires alone. Some football and hockey players, along with some older townspeople, had joined the battle as well, but he could tell that a lot of blood had already been spilled.

This had to end. Now.

He got into position and waited for his cue.

"Oh _Jesse_." Rachel called from center-stage in a melodic, sing-song voice. Finn watched from the shadows of backstage as the vampire turned around, holding a struggling girl in his hands. When he noticed that Rachel was on stage and beckoning him, he dropped the girl to the floor and started to walk forward, his arms open wide.

"My little songbird! You're looking quite healthy! How did you escape your silver cage?" Rachel hopped off of the stage and into Jesse's arms below.

"I reached through the bars to grab the key off the body of my human. You remember, right? The one whose neck you just snapped. At least he was able to do me one last favor and donate his blood to a willing recipient." Rachel had Jesse laughing and Finn wanted nothing more to reveal himself at that moment, but it would be counter-productive to the plan.

"I knew you still had it in you." Jesse said with a smirk. "No vampire can deny the pull of the blood. The need is too strong." Pulling Rachel's wispy bangs away from her face in a tender motion, Finn almost blew his cover by screaming out a loud profanity. "I can't wait to spend eternity teasing you about that _boy_ you were so infatuated with! Did his blood taste like chocolate or something? I heard that the dietary habits of this generation are less than stellar." Rachel just smiled and started to walk around him, turning his body around until his back was against the stage.

"His blood tasted like the finest wine." He saw her eyes go black for a moment. "I'll miss the taste."

"Rachel, you have no idea how much I've missed seeing you like this."

"Oh Jesse, I think it's time I remind you how ruthless I can really be." With a flirty pout and a sultry tone, Rachel had Jesse in the palms of her hands. He immediately ran from his hiding spot to where Jesse was standing at center-stage, dropping to his knees and sliding to the edge with the silver chain held taut in his hands. Before Jesse could sense the movement behind him, Finn had wrapped the chain around Jesse's neck like Rachel had been subdued, and Finn could smell the scent of burning flesh as he pulled the chains even tighter.

"You didn't think I was gonna leave Shelby's ring for _you_ to pick up, now did you?" He spat harshly into Jesse's ear as he pulled the chains tight around his neck. This was oddly satisfying in a way.

"Rachel?" The panic was evident in Jesse's tone. "What's going on, songbird?"

Rachel started to laugh; a hollow sound that echoed in the auditorium and drew people's attentions to the front of the stage. Both humans and vampires began to watch with interest as the ringleader was now the one who was being held captive.

"Your _songbird_. That's all you've ever called me in over a hundred years. Why did you turn me so long ago, Jesse? Why couldn't I have been just a free meal to you? At least I could have died in peace." Her laughter continued and Finn tightened the chains when he thought about what had happened to Rachel so long ago. "But no, you wanted someone to stay with you forever and sing your praises, right? I was nothing more than a pretty voice the entire time. You ruined my life for _nothing_." She turned to the crowd around her and hate began to darken her eyes. "I won't let you hurt anyone else, Jesse. It's over." She waked up to the stage, where Finn had previously discarded the shovel that had killed Shelby. She took it in her hands and snapped it over her knee, breaking it in half and tossing away the end with the spade, leaving just a splintered wooden stick with a jagged edge. Finn could feel Jesse begin to tremble under the chains. He pulled them even tighter. "Oh, and by the way. I've always hated the name _Songbird_! Goodbye, Jesse."

Before Jesse could respond, Rachel had taken the broken handle of the shovel and rammed it into Jesse's chest, impaling him through the heart with the makeshift stake. Finn felt the body in his arms go limp until Jesse slumped onto the floor, dead. When they both looked up, the crowd looked as if someone had pressed the pause button on a remote. Both people and vampires were just staring at them blatantly, and it was Rachel who made the first move.

"If you were here under Jesse's orders, you can either leave and spare your lives, or stay and face me. It's your choice." Immediately, over half of the remaining vampires ran from the auditorium, clearly influenced by Jesse and intimidated by the vampire who killed vampires. The ones who stayed would have to face Finn and Rachel. They were now a vampire slaying team.

Rachel held the stake in her hands and Finn had the chains as they entered the war-zone and started to attack the remaining vampires. Finn would get them around the neck with the chains while Rachel delivered the killing blow with the stake. Slowly, the vampires began to dissipate, until the auditorium was filled with exhausted, bloody humans and a single, vengeful vampire. For a moment, Finn was afraid that Sam and Beiste would try and attack Rachel once this was all over, but when they approached them it wasn't with an air of hostility. Beiste stuck her hands out and shook Rachel's, grateful that they'd had her help in defeating the immortal enemy.

"We won't be bothering you anymore, Ms. Rachel. You'll be left alone." It was a promise they were sure to keep, now that they knew how powerful Rachel really could be when she wanted to. He knew better though; underneath that tough, vampiric exterior she was as harmless as a kitten.

A kitten with really, _really_ sharp claws.

They waited until everyone was cleared out of the school to finally go home. Finn wanted to make sure the citizens had all received whatever medical attention was needed, and he sat with Rachel close to him as the paramedics brought some people out in stretchers.

"Do you think the vampires are gonna bother us anymore?" He asked her to fill the silence around them.

"Not really. Most of the vampires here were made by Jesse. Now that he's gone, they're free to do what they want. I figure that some will stay in town, but the ones that do won't really bother people anymore. They now know that I'm around, and I'm older than all of them. The town is pretty much safe."

"Yeah, no one is ever gonna believe this stuff really happened, this town is too good at denying the obvious. I'm sure the witnesses are trying to pretend it never happened. Beiste and Sam said they planned on sticking around to make sure the threat is gone, so at least we won't have to worry about them anymore. They understand you now, you're like the town's own vampire hero."

She slapped her forehead with her hand but he could hear the playful affection in her tone. "Just what I always wanted."

He stood up then, towering over Rachel but fully knowing that she was the strongest creature he would ever know. Reaching out a hand, she took it without question. "Come on, Rachel. Let's go home. There's something we need to do."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

She followed him without needing to ask what he was planning. Right now she would follow Finn off of a cliff if he'd asked her; it's not like they could get hurt. They made their way to Finn's house, where Finn's mother greeted them as if she'd had no idea about the vampire attacks at all. Would she ever tell Carole about her true nature? Shrugging away the idea, she knew she had an eternity to figure out the logistics of her relationship with Finn, right now she had to focus on the present.

He led her into his room, where the smell of him wrapped around her and sent her into a peaceful state of mind. Finn was here, he was alive, and he was never going to leave her.

He sat cross-legged at the foot of his bed while she faced him from the other side. For a moment, neither of them made a move; they were more than content just sitting there and appreciating the fact that the other person was alive and safe. She reached for his hand and he offered it, while her fingers brushed up lazily against the smooth, ornate surface of the ring.

"I'm never going to take it off." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I literally had to cut it off of Shelby's hand. When the ring was detached from her body, she started to age right in front of my face. She dissolved into dust." Taking a deep breath, he nodded his head. "If I decide to keep the ring, I can never take it off, ever. I'll be a human forever. Nothing can change that." Rachel nodded in understanding. Even if she'd wanted to turn Finn into a vampire in the far future, he would have to take off his ring to die, and without the power of the ring, he would age away into nothing and she would be powerless to stop it. If he was going to keep the ring, he had to commit to a life of humanity, forever.

"I don't mind that."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's kind of perfect actually. Your blood really does taste delicious." She admitted. "And I never have to worry about you getting hurt or growing old and dying on me."

"You'll never be alone anymore, Rachel. I'm not going anywhere." The words that escaped his lips held so much meaning to her she thought she might cry. How many nights had she spent lost in the sorrow of her own solitude? How long had she wished for someone to share her eternity with? Finn was never going to leave her, he was committing himself to an immortal life with her.

It was more than she could have ever hoped for.

"I love you." She said it with all the conviction she had. "I never said it before, and I hid behind the power of the bond, but it's the truth. I love you, Finn."

"I love you too, Rachel. So much. Now stick out your hand and draw blood."

"Huh?"

"We have to redo the bond! Just in case you ever get kidnapped again I can find you. Plus, I'm sure that there are other benefits that we'll have an eternity to exploit. I'm looking forward to it." His beaming smile was all the encouragement she needed as she bit into the skin of her own hand, drawing blood. She watched as he licked the blood from her wound, and she took his hand and started to drink a bit from him as well.

She could feel the connection returning, and the familiarity of it almost reduced her to tears. Her direct link with Finn was back, and she reveled in it as she realized how much stronger the bond felt now, after they confessed their true affections. Her connection with Finn was bonded with not only blood, but with the deepest and purest love.

As she reached over to kiss Finn, she felt the bond solidify until the connection was complete. They would never be alone after this. Their forever started tonight.

As she leaned over to press her body up against her lover and find the solace she needed in his arms, she rubbed the ring on his finger one more time. Her fears were all eased away as he pulled her clothes from her body and made her forget her problems with his hands on her skin. She lost herself in his love, and knew that an eternity of sex with Finn would never get old, now matter how many centuries they lived. Yes, there were definitely things they needed to figure out for their eternal future, but right now it could wait as they healed their wounds together in the bliss of love.

Rachel's world had always been surrounded by the dark. An eternal night. The only light she ever saw was the moon and the stars in the sky. The sun had become both a burden and an unattainable dream to her. As much as she feared its power, she wished she could bask in it's warmth and feel it's glow on her skin.

The life of a vampire was a life of darkness and cold. They weren't supposed to have warmth and light, those luxuries were reserved for the living. There had never been an exception to that rule, until now.

Now that she had Finn forever, her nights would always be as bright as the sun and as warm as summer.

As long as she had Finn, forever didn't seem so long anymore.

**THE END**

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Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews and your support for this story. I appreciate it more than you will ever know.

Merci Mille Fois

The Minsk


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